Texans Rumored to Target Five Positions in NFL Draft

The Houston Texans have managed to tackle a good chunk of their roster needs through the first portion of the offseason to help them become a bit more well-rounded on both sides of the ball.

But that offseason work is far from over. With the 2026 NFL Draft now sitting right around the corner at the end of the month where the Texans hold eight picks on the board, they'll have ample opportunity to get their budding young talent even better than the way it looked before.

As to what positions the Texans may target once on the clock at 28th overall and the picks to follow? A few areas have jumped out to insider Jonathan M. Alexander of The Houston Chronicle as spots the front office will likely look into prioritizing: most notably, defensive tackle and offensive guard.

"Who the Texans choose will most definitely depend on who is left on the board by the time they pick at No. 28," Alexander wrote in his latest mailbag. "But what I will say is I expect the Texans will try and target a defensive tackle and a guard at some point in the draft. Linebacker, center and tight end are other likely positions the Texans could target."

Texans' Eyes Set on Drafting DT, OG Among Other Positions

When taking a step back to look at the state of the Texans' roster, it adds up for them to target the trenches on both sides of the ball.

Houston not only could use more help and depth on the interior of their offensive line, but the free agency turnover seen within their defensive line makes it worth attention high in the draft as well. With two picks in the top 40 headlined by 28th overall, it's more than possible for them to address both early on.

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (DL21) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

But beyond those two areas to patch on both ends, the Texans could have outstanding interest in linebacker, center, and tight end later on; all positions that may have a starter the team is already confident in for next season, but could use additional depth and youth behind them to totally maximize those position rooms.

All five spots, have favorable odds to be attacked at least once within the eight picks Houston has simply based on the current look of the roster. Yet, seeing the fit come to life relies more so on the talent that's on the board when they're up on the clock, rather than strictly what their position says.

Expect Texans to Still Prioritize Best Player Available

The Texans' lead decision-makers have made it clear that targeting the best available player on the board is how they plan to approach their selections. Doing so allows them not to be backed into a corner to pick based on need rather than pure talent, a mistake that other front offices can easily make in their respective situations.

For Houston in particular, though, they've been diligent through free agency and the trade market to plug up most of their remaining holes to allow them to have that stance before the draft.

Additions to right tackle with Braden Smith, a new running back via David Montgomery, and safety help Reed Blankenship avoid the Texans having to zero in on any of those three positions with their draft picks later this month. They can instead turn their focus elsewhere, whether that be any of their rumored position targets, or simply the best player available at that moment.

Even so, if the board can fall in a way where the Texans were able to bring in all of their five rumored positional needs to get this roster locked and loaded for 2026, Nick Caserio and Co. are almost certain to walk away at the end of the draft feeling good about those results.

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