Potential Landing Spots For Houston Football’s 2026 NFL Draft Class
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With spring practice well underway, several former Cougars have high hopes to hear their name called in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The draft will take place from April 23-25 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Houston football has three main guys that are likely to be drafted later this month.
Draft Projections For 3 Houston Cougars
Tanner Koziol-Buffalo Bills
Houston’s senior tight end Tanner Koziol is the most intriguing draft prospect from the University of Houston, and he is ranked as the No. 165 player in the class.
As of now, Koziol is a projected fifth-round pick, and the Buffalo Bills is a likely landing place for the star tight end.
The Bills acquired a fifth-round pick from the Chicago Bears in the offseason in the trade for standout receiver DJ Moore, and Koziol would be a great fit for Buffalo.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and having a wide catch radius makes him a probable selection for the Bills, judging by their recent history of tight ends.
Buffalo uses three primary tight ends in its lineups, Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hayes, and one thing they all have in common is they all are elite at catching passes.
While Koziol is still undersized to block at the next level, he has the receiving part down, racking up 237 receptions for 2,234 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Dean Connors-New York Jets
Houston’s senior running back Dean Connors was projected to go undrafted just a few weeks ago, but with a strong showing at Pro Day and in the Shrine Bowl, he may have worked himself into a late-round pick.
A team like the Jets may take a chance on Connors with their seventh-round draft selection, needing a change-of-pace back.
New York currently uses Breece Hall as the RB1 and Braylon Allen also gets his fair share of carries.
With both backs relying on the ground game for the bulk of their yardage, Connors receiving could open up the offense for a struggling Jets squad.
Throughout his college career, he caught 147 passes for 1,166 yards, and he proved he can be a dual threat in the running game.
Latrell McCutchin Sr.-Denver Broncos
Senior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr. rounds out Houston’s class as a late-round draft pick.
He turned heads at the NFL Draft Combine and Pro Day, showcasing his elite athleticism that ranks him at the No. 7 corner in that category.
Because of his athletic ability, multiple teams have become interested in Houston’s defensive standout, especially in the special teams department.
The Broncos have a history of drafting athletic defensive backs, most recent being Jahdae Barron, and Denver can really turn raw athleticism into a weapon at the next level.
With the Broncos having three seventh-round picks, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they took a chance on McCutchin with a focus on him being on special teams, with hopes that he could later develope into a starting corner.
Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).