Five Day 3 Prospects Texans Should Have on Their Radar

The Houston Texans have finished their first two days of draft action with their selection of three new prospects within the first 60 selections on the board.

So far, they've landed two new offensive pieces in lineman Keylan Rutledge at 26 and tight end Marlin Klein at 59, along with Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald on the other end at pick 38.

But even with 100 combined picks out of the way across the NFL, there still remains a whole batch of day three prospects left to sort through.

And for Houston, that means they've got four more selections of their own left on tap before they can close the book on the 2026 NFL Draft as a whole: two round four picks at 106 and 117, a fifth at 141, and a seventh all the way down the board at 243.

With how the Texans' draft has fared this far, seeing a few of those picks moved around in some sort of trade up or down would be pretty typical of Nick Caserio. But as things stand for Houston before round four, let's look at five high-end prospects left on day three for Houston to keep an eye on:

Mike Washington Jr. | RB, Arkansas

Sep 13, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Arkansas Razorback running back Mike Washington Jr. (4) reacts after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Washington was seen as a candidate who could've been as high as the RB2 off the board.

Instead, he finds himself still up for grabs headed into day three, and even saw a name as surprising as Indiana's Kaelon Black flying ahead of him with a San Francisco 49ers pick in round three.

The Texans did invest in their running back this offseason as is by bringing in David Montgomery. But Washington is a powerful, sturdy runner who can offer one final piece for their depth chart in the backfield, and perhaps a potential successor for Montgomery as he approaches age 30.

Elijah Sarratt | WR, Indiana

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) kisses the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wide receivers have been flying off the board in the first three rounds. So far, there have been 17 to come off the board to 15 different teams, including two receivers apiece for the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns.

The Texans, while they could use a fresh pair of legs at wideout, have yet to make that push through two days of the draft. They were rumored to push for a wide receiver early in the draft before round one had kicked off, but hasn't seen much traction on that front just yet.

If a round four pick at receiver were in play, Sarratt is a safe, championship-pedigree pass-catcher who has NFL-ready size with ideal route running and after-the-catch ability that could allow him to find a role despite Houston's already existing arsenal.

Dani Dennis-Sutton | EDGE, Penn State

Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton (33) reacts following a tackle during the second quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The Texans had whispers revolving around a possible interest in upgrading their depth at edge early in the first two rounds, but opted to turn to a few other positions of need before turning to some security behind the edge-rushing duo in the NFL. In reality, it adds up.

But early on day three could be a nice opportunity to attack that need with a favorable name lingering out on the board. Dani Dennis-Sutton could fit that mold as someone with good size at 6-foot-6, over 250 pounds, and solid sack numbers in his past two years at Penn State.

Kaleb Elarms-Orr | LB, TCU

Sep 20, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr (3) celebrates after he sacks SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (not pictured) during the second half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Elarms-Orr had reportedly gained a bit of steam amongst multiple front offices leading up to the draft, but hasn't heard his name called two days into the action.

If that varied interest wasn't just typical pre-draft smoke, it's hard to imagine that trend keeping up much further into day three.

The Texans could use some youth behind both Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o, especially as they enter the last year of their respective contracts. Elarms-Orr has experience and impressive speed that could plug him in as a nice asset for the future, and an impactful rotational piece in year one.

Jalon Kilgore | S, South Carolina

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; South Carolina defensive back Jalon Kilgore (DB39) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Kilgore stands out with unique versatility in the secondary. He also works well in man coverage that aligns pretty nicely with Houston's defensive style, thanks to some complementary speed and athleticism to pair with his size.

The Texans could find a role for Kilgore within their secondary as a versatile rotational option, and someone who can contribute in a special teams role that'll add to his value as well.

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