3-Round Texans Mock Draft: Offense Receives Major Upgrade

NFL Combine week is officially upon us, which means for the Houston Texans, they'll be able to get an all-encompassing look at most of this year's prospects across the board in Indianapolis to see who might be a fit for their roster once they're on the clock in April.

In the first two days, the Texans have four picks at their disposal; all of those landing within the top 70, including two second-rounders thanks to Houston's Laremy Tunsil trade with the Washington Commanders last offseason. That gives them a handful of intriguing ways to approach the draft, and a golden opportunity to improve this roster with a jolt of young talent heading into 2026.

With that in mind, let's take an early look at how the board could fall for the Texans in the first three rounds of this year's draft before combine drills officially get underway.

R1, P28: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

Oct 11, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) celebrates scoring a touchdown against the Arizona State Sun Devils with Utah Utes offensive lineman Caleb Lomu (71) during the second quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Chatter has persisted into this offseason urging the Texans to continue to prioritize upgrades on the offensive line. A great way of doing that is by targeting a top tackle prospect on the board with your first-round pick.

Lomu is a 6-foot-6, 306 pound two-year starter as Utah's left tackle, who comes into the draft as one of the better pass-pro tackles. He allowed zero sacks throughout the course of 2025, came out to a pass blocking grade of 82.1 via Pro Football Focus, and as a helping hand for C.J. Stroud, his fit projects quite well here at 28.

The only hurdle with Lomu's fit in Houston is where he might line up. He or last year's second-rounder Aireontae Ersery are both natural left tackles, would be bound to flip to the other side in order to replace veteran Trent Brown as a starter. Certainly not a deal-breaker, but a factor worth noting.

R2, P38 (via WAS): Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas

Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) celebrates during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Could the Texans opt to beef up the offensive side of the ball with their second pick on the board? For sure. But when a talent like Anthony Hill Jr. could be on the board on day two, it'd be hard to pass on adding him to Houston's already elite defense.

Considering Houston has both Christian Harris and E.J. Speed hitting free agency, there might be a world where the Texans invest in a young, high-potential option who can pair next to Pro Bowler Azeez Al-Shaair, and make this unit even better after their best defensive season in franchise history. Hill fits exactly that mold.

Hill has standout physicals at 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, was a second-team All-American linebacker in 2025, and could be a finishing touch on this already great defense to cement themselves atop the NFL's best.

R2, P59: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

Nov 8, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jadarian Price (24) runs the ball against the Navy Midshipmen during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Not quite as highly touted as his counterpart in Notre Dame's backfield projected to land within the first 10 picks in Jeremiyah Love, but Jadarian Price could be worth a serious look for Houston with their second of two picks at the top of day two.

The Texans' rushing offense left a bit more to be desired in 2025 despite the emergence of rookie Woody Marks in the backfield. For Marks to be at his best, pairing him with another steady option in the running back room that can set the tempo and shoulder some of his workload seems like a one-two punch that can work out quite well.

Price might not be as explosive or as strong in the passing game as Love consistently proved to be all of last season, but as a complementary back to pair next to Marks in the backfield, he's a near-perfect fit for what Houston needs.

R3, P69 (via NYG): Connor Lew, C, Auburn

Jul 15, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers offensive lineman Connor Lew answers questions from the media during SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The offensive line tweaks might not stop in the first round for Houston. Adding another hopeful starter upfront in the form of an interior offensive lineman, particularly at center, makes a lot of sense for the Texans to invest in.

Lew is widely viewed as one of the class' top options at the center spot, starting the past three years on Clemson's offensive front with over 1,600 snaps, has allowed just three sacks within that timeframe, and at just 20 years old, has tons of room to grow moving forward into his NFL career.

For the Texans’ hopes of putting Stroud in the best chance to succeed, getting the best five guys upfront is important, but implementing a plan for the future on the offensive line matters as well. At the top of the third, snagging a top-ranked center can wrap up the first two days of Houston's draft quite nicely.