Who will the Houston Texans draft in the 2026 NFL Draft?
ESPN has some ideas on what to do with the AFC South’s top three players.
Matt Miller recently released his first two-round mock draft after the Senior Bowl, and there weren’t many surprises for the 12-win Texans. The two biggest moves Houston must make this offseason are to address the offensive line issues and strengthen the running game to find a consistent running back opposite Woody Marquez.
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While he may be a new name, Miller still gives Houston an upgraded trench play with the 28th pick in the first round. Is there any difference? Draft gurus don’t think the Texans will pursue Alabama’s Keden Proctor or Oregon State’s Emmanuel Pregnon, but instead pursue Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller.
Like other pundits, this move will mark Titus Howard’s permanent move to left guard as Aarontay Essery’s running mate.
“Miller may not be a first-round pick in the 2025 draft. But in the 2026 draft, lacking a large number of prospects with first-round grades, drafting a rock-solid right tackle with plenty of experience (54 starts) who allowed just two sacks and two rushing blocks last season appears to be valuable,” Miller wrote. “Miller will join the starting lineup alongside last year’s second-round pick Aireontae “
The addition of Miller would provide a reliable run blocker on the right side with plug-and-play experience, which could be considered an upgrade over Proctor or Pregnone, two names who will likely be slated at left tackle or left guard. Strengthening the defense on the right side also allows the Texans to target a linebacker in later rounds and then add a linebacker via free agency.
With two second-round picks, the Texans have options. Miller, the 38th overall pick, gives Houston the final weakness in the secondary with Oregon State safety Dillon Thieneman, who had an All-American performance for the Ducks’ defense last season. He’s a strong option to match up with ball-selling Calen Bullock near the line of scrimmage.
“Tienemann was a quarterback in Oregon’s secondary who displayed quickness, great instincts and playmaking ability,” Miller wrote. “The Texans have one of the best defenses in the league and Thienemann will quickly become a strong safety.”
The Texans looked to bolster their running game with Notre Dame’s Ja’Darian Price with the No. 59 pick. Price has been a steady force in the ground game the past two years, averaging over six yards per carry. He should also get used to being a secondary threat, as the Fighting Irish used a two-tandem system during his tenure with offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.
“Woody Marks was a fourth-round pick in last year’s draft, but Nick Chubb is a free agent and Joe Mixon’s future is uncertain,” Miller wrote. “Despite splitting the ball with Jeremiah Love, Price still has NFL starting qualities, scoring 11 touchdowns last season and averaging 6.0 yards per carry.”
The Texans have eight picks in the upcoming draft, four of which are top-70 picks.
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This article originally appeared on Texans Wired: Texans target two major offensive concerns in latest 2026 NFL mock draft
