Texans' Draft Plans Could Shift After Latest First Round Buzz

Throughout the entire build-up process for the 2026 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans have been circled as a premier candidate to target an upgrade on their offensive line with one of their top selections on the board.

Whether it be a new guard to fortify their interior or a long-term option at tackle, the predictions for the Texans to ultimately land on a new face for their offensive line with their 28th-overall pick have been rampant.

However, there's a chance that, based on how the board is rumored to fall for Thursday night's first round, the Texans might not even get a chance at one of their top o-line prospects on the board.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on Wednesday leading up to the draft that the consensus around the league remains that multiple offensive linemen could come off the board during a run in the middle of round one, potentially starting in the "10-14 range".

One thing that seems like a consensus among teams is that an OL run is going to happen on Thursday night, likely starting in the 10–14 range.

I’ve had over a dozen executives tell me that in their mock simulations, they’ve had as many as nine OL go in Round 1. pic.twitter.com/VfNEJEC0pD
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 22, 2026

Texans Could Be Without Top OL Names at Pick 28

For any team with offensive line circled on their list of needs, especially early on the board, such an outcome would put a major question mark on just who will be available on the board when they're up on the clock, and even more so for those who sit at the tail end of the day one with their first pick.

That's exactly the concern that could be in place for a team like the Texans, who might now be in a situation to trade up into an earlier pick in round one if they were laser-focused on a high-end offensive line talent with their first selection on the board.

Between guys at tackle projected to fall past the biggest names like Utah's Caleb Lomu, Arizona State's Max Iheanachor, and Clemson's Blake Miller, all are in play to be a part of that run, depending on how teams across the league value them.

On the interior, Texas A&M's Chase Bisontis and Oregon's Emmanuel Pregnon could be a part of that the same story as prime suspects to rise up the board as a first round selection before 28 even arrives.

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Chase Bisontis (71) blocks the rush during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

And if that heavy focus on top offensive line talent isn't just pre-draft smoke, that might just be an incentive to turn the Texans in another direction from the position their first-round pick entirely, whether it be turned into a defensive selection or a highly possible trade-down scenario.

Houston's made it abundantly clear leading up to the draft that they won't force a selection at a certain position if it's not the best player on their board. An active free agency makes such a strategy possible and makes for flexibility that becomes notably valuable in moments like this.

The Texans have done a ton of scouting on this year's defensive tackle class to make that area of the field one to watch for Houston to target at 28, and thus make for a finishing touch on a dangerous defensive front.

Houston's also been known to make a trade out of the first round if the right deal comes across the desk of Nick Caserio, as shown through both 2025 and 2024. In 2023, he took a polar opposite approach by trading up for Will Anderson.

All of that in mind, many possibilities remain on the table for Houston as it pertains to their first-round action. So if you weren't already, now would be the time to buckle up as a Texans fan before things get real in Pittsburgh.

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