B
Houston Texans
The Texans robbed the room for Washington Jr.. Final grade: B.
by jaytex ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 3 reaches
The Texans did not reach, did not trade up, did not blink. They just waited, and Mike Washington Jr. fell into pick No. 106.
Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. The McGowan reach is the anchor dragging on the value grade.
Running back was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.
Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 29 they get a cornerstone up front, though they paid up to get him.
A market-rate interior defensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Caleb Banks. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Good price on Jake Slaughter in the 59th pick, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Christen Miller at pick 69 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Mike Washington Jr. in the Round 4 slot should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A slide stopped in the 141st overall pick, with Oscar Delp worth more than the price. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Kage Casey at slot 148 is a conviction pick that outran the value. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
The board had cheaper options than Seth McGowan at No. 167, and it noticed. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Zavion Thomas at No. 243 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.