Latest Houston Texans seven-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft gives CJ Stroud no more excuses to prove he is their franchise quarterback
The Houston Texans right the ship on offense around CJ Stroud to give him his best supporting cast yet.
The Houston Texans lost in the divisional round of the 2026 NFL Playoffs, falling short to the New England Patriots, 28-16, after a sloppy, turnover filled game.
The Texans enter the offseason with a bad taste in their mouth and some tough questions to answer. CJ Stroud has now had two straight disastrous performances in the playoffs that easily could have lost them their Wild Card appearance and did lose them their game in the divisional round. With a decision on his fifth-year option due soon, the Texans suddenly feel like a team with a much bigger question under center than they had entering the season.
Their goal for the 2026 NFL Draft should be to eliminate as many holes as they can to ensure they can get as clear an answer on if Stroud is going to be the quarterback the franchise needs. How can they do that?
Houston Texans 2026 seven-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 28: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
The first round of the draft should be fairly easy for the Texans: Take the best offensive lineman available. Miller is an elite athlete who fits seamlessly into Houston’s offense. He wins with a strong combination of length (reportedly 35-inch arms), explosiveness, and fluidity in pass protection. Given Houston’s struggles blocking on the perimeter this season, Miller seems exactly like what the doctor ordered.
Round 2, Pick 38 (via WAS): Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
Lee Hunter will be type-casted as a nose tackle because of his 330-pound frame, but he boasts some really intriguing explosiveness and change of direction ability that suggest some really intriguing upside for him as a pass rusher. Given Houston’s turnover at defensive tackle in free agency this offseason, Hunter could be a young talent they can keep for years and help ensure their elite status on the defensive line.
Round 2, Pick 59: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
One of the Texans’ biggest flaws defensively, in my opinion, is the lack of range and coverage ability in their linebacker room. Improving their this offseason could make what was already an elite defense that much deadlier.
Golday is a unique evaluation because of the role he plays in Cincinnati’s defense, but the traits he displayed are worth investing in for Houston. He’s a violent, physical player with plenty of pursuit speed from sideline-to-sideline. Golday’s still developing his eyes and discipline, as he’s a former EDGE rusher, but he’s flashed intriguing ability to develop into a three-down playmaker.
Round 3, Pick 69 (via NYG): Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
The Texans need to continue adding weapons around CJ Stroud, and part of that is improving their run game. Woody Marks had a strong rookie season, but the Texans need to add a back to the rotation who can operate as their early-down rusher and let Marks do what he does best as a third-down back. Emmett Johnson is a patient, elusive rusher with the size and vision to be a capable lead back in a rotation.
Round 4, Pick 106 (via WAS): Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma
The Texans did add Jaylin Noel last year and could have Tank Dell returning next year, but Dell isn’t guaranteed to be ready to play and they lose their starting slot receiver in Christian Kirk in free agency.
Burks’s size will likely limit him to the slot, but that’s a great spot for him to be schemed open and get the ball out in space to capitalize on his explosiveness and creativity after the catch.
Round 4, Pick 128: Dalton Johnson, S, Arizona
While Calen Bullock shines as a ballhawk roaming the back end of Houston’s defense, the Texans’ defense could use a running mate for him that can play downhill and fill against the run and underneath.
That fits Johnson to a T. He might not be the most athletic safety in this class, but he flies downhill with a vengeance, and he’s incredibly instinctive.
Round 5, Pick 165: Cody Hardy, TE, NC State
The Texans didn’t run much heavier personnel in 2025, but the next step as an offense is to grow more versatile and continue adding ways they can attack defenses. Hardy isn’t much of a separator, but he is a reliable receiver and arguably the best blocking tight end in this class. In many ways, he can add a similar value to what Jackson Hawes did for the Buffalo Bills.
Round 7, Pick 243 (via SF): Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
EJ Speed, Damone Clark, and Christian Harris are all poised to hit free agency, opening up spots on defense and on special teams. Elarms-Orr is a physical linebacker with good pursuit speed and violence in his pads, suggesting a pathway to playing on early downs and, more importantly, a special teams ace.
Round 7, Pick 244: Wesley Williams, EDGE, Duke
Wesley Williams is a bigger defensive end prospect, but he’s a physical, alert run defender with good enough power to collapse the pocket. He could be a rotational early-down edge rusher to help spell Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter on the outside and potentially fill in for Denico Autry as well.
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