The 3 Texans UDFAs Who Actually Matter at OTAs

The Houston Texans are right on the cusp of kicking off their three-day period of offseason OTAs, offering a look at their current 90-man roster in an organized, non-padded practice setting for a bit of a first look at what this team will be working with moving into the 2026 campaign.

Inithe midst of those OTAs, the Texans will also get a glimpse of the 12 UDFA pickups they brought in this offseason for the first team practice since rookie minicamp, and will be able to stack up those additions with the rest of their rostered veterans.

And within that vast pool of UDFAs, there are a select few names that stick out a bit more than the rest for one reason or another. And with a strong start in OTAs, it could be the kickstart needed for them to find their way to a role on Houston's practice squad, or better yet, a 53-man roster spot.

Let's look at three UDFAs on the Texans roster who will be some of the most interesting names to watch later this week:

1. Daniel Sobkowicz, WR

A favorite amongst Texans fans, Sobkowicz might be the most interesting wide receiver of the three UDFAs brought into the building earlier last month.

He has a unique blend of both physical and technical traits for the position, along with impressive numbers during his time at Illinois State.

Sobkowicz stands 6-foot-3, 205 pounds without a ton of blazing speed, but collected over 160 receptions, 2,200 yards receiving, and 28 touchdowns in his past two years as a key component of the Redbirds' offense.

Another FCS WR who stands as an intriguing Day 3 / PFA prospect is Illinois State's Daniel Sobkowicz (#2). 83-1141-19 in '25, w/ just a 2.5% drop rate (TM).

- 6'2 3/8", 193
- 4.6 40, 37.5" vert, 6.61 3cone

Not overly fast, but quick, fluid, w/ impressive decel at his size. pic.twitter.com/02ySniyJli
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) April 2, 2026

He's a technically sound route runner with great hands, both of which can translate to the next level, and can compensate for his lack of speed, considering he ran a 4.6 40-yard dash at his pro day.

The Texans already have a ton of wide receivers looking to compete for a roster spot. The number is up to a whopping 13 wideouts after the recent signing of Jha'Quan Jackson, so Sobcowicz might not be a real favorite to land a spot on the active roster, but a practice squad bid is well within reach.

2. Joshua Pitsenberger, RB

The Texans added two running backs in their batch of a dozen UDFA pickups, and it would actually be their addition from Oregon in Noah Whittington who landed significantly more money in his signing bonus than his counterpart from Yale in Joshua Pitsenberger; $205K more in guarantees to be exact.

But it'll actually be Pitsenberger who I'll have the closest eye on between the two.

Comparatively, it's Pitsenberger who has a bit of an edge in terms of positional size, standing at 6-foot, 215 pounds, and also has some eye-catching FCS production to match.

#Texans rookie running backs Noah Whittington @oregonfootball and Josh Pitsenberger @yalefootball
Whittington participated after offseason toe surgery and is nearly 100 percent, per a source@KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/gn7azwd2Hx
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 8, 2026

He was one of the best running backs in Yale program history with 313 carries for 1,571 yards (both second-most in Yale's history), and would log 19 total touchdowns in the process (third-most in Yale's history).

His effectiveness in the passing game wasn't exactly elite, having totaled less than 300 receiving yards throughout all four years at Yale. But on the ground, he's definitely got some worthwhile appeal.

Considering the Texans' depth chart at running back isn't exactly defined between David Montgomery and Woody Marks, the door is wide open for one of their UDFA additions to make some noise for a 53-man roster spot, starting as early as OTAs. That makes Pitsenberger a fascinating name to circle.

3. James Neal III, OT

Speaking of contract guarantees, James Neal out of Iowa State would lead the way with the most guaranteed within the Texans' UDFA signings, giving him $247K in base guarantees and $30K in a signing bonus.

That financial commitment alone is noteworthy when compared to anyone else the Texans signed on following the draft, and it'll inevitably put a major magnifying glass on him throughout OTAs and the rest of the offseason as a potential 53-man roster candidate.

James Neal is short for a tackle, but still has good length and an excellent bench to arm length combo. His speed is good as well as explosiveness, but agility is a weakness here. Depending on scheme and usage, that might not matter, power and explosion more needed when manned up pic.twitter.com/6Kg90WuBzx
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 6, 2026

Neal, a 6-foot-6, 325-pound tackle, was a starter on the left side of the Cyclones' line for the past one and a half seasons and could be in perfect position to compete for a spot on Houston's depth chart as a backup to second-year tackle Aireontae Ersery.

The Texans have a clear four players at tackle that'll likely make the cut come time for Week 1: Ersery, Braden Smith, Trent Brown, and Blake Fisher. Neal could sneak his way into the mix as one of the final names, and that all starts with a productive OTAs session.

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