The Houston Texans had the best defense in the NFL this season, but that doesn't matter when your offense falls apart. One week after somehow surviving a game where quarterback C.J. Stroud fumbled five times, Houston's season came to an end against the Patriots as Stroud threw four interceptions.
All season long, the common refrain around Houston was that the team needed offensive line help. Is that still true, or do the Texans' issues go even deeper than just getting better protection for Stroud? Let's take a look at what Houston might opt to in the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Round 1, Pick 28: G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Ed Ingram was arguably Houston's best lineman, but he's a free agent this offseason. Between that and the fact that neither Jarrett Patterson nor Juice Scruggs look like they can be the answer at guard, Houston really has to figure out the interior of its offensive line this offseason.
Oregon's Emmanuel Pregnon is a start. An unheralded recruit at the beginning of his college career, Pregnon has built himself into a late first-round prospect thanks to his size and ability to plant himself in place and hold up interior rushers. Maybe he's not the greatest athlete, but Pregnon makes up for that with his pure strength.
If Houston can re-sign Ingram on a team-friendly deal and then plug Pregnon in on the other side, the interior of this offensive line might wind up being a strength next season.
Round 2, Pick 38: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
Rookie Aireontae Ersery has shown enough to keep the left tackle job, but Houston is in dire need of a long-term answer at right tackle. Trent Brown played respectably, but he's pretty clearly not long for the league considering his age and injury history.
Meanwhile, 2019 first-round pick Tytus Howard will be in the last year of his contract next season and is probably a candidate to be a post-June 1 cut to save money. Blake Fisher can stick around as the third tackle, but adding someone with long-term appeal at right tackle should be a priority.
Georgia's Monroe Freeling is a monster at 6-foot-7, and while his size could pose some issues as far as technique goes at the next level, he's relatively quick and has the strength to stop pass rushers and set the edge in the run game.
Round 2, Pick 59: LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
If the Texans defense has a weakness, it's Henry To'oTo'o in coverage, so adding a linebacker who would be comfortable defending the middle of the field would be a good move here.
Cincinnati's Jake Golday might be that guy. A highly athletic linebacker, Golday moves well and can cover both tight ends and slot receivers thanks to his quickness. He can even range across the field against the run. He might need a little time to get up to speed with NFL concepts, but the talent and the physical skill are there.
With backup linebackers Damone Clark, E.J. Speed and Christian Harris all hitting free agency, Golday would be a cheap way of adding linebacker depth while also potentially landing a future starter.
Round 3, Pick 69: QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
Yes, I'm going way out on a limb here, but C.J. Stroud's turnover issues in these two playoff games have added major doubt as to his future with this franchise. How do you justify extending him at this point? How do you trust that he has what it takes to lead this team to the next level?
I'm not saying Houston drafts Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss with the intention of naming him the 2026 starting quarterback, but getting a talented young passer in the building seems like the right move at this point, especially considering 2026 is the last year on backup quarterback Davis Mills' deal. Ideally, Stroud bounces back next year and proves he's worth investing in, and Chambliss develops into a valuable backup with trade appeal. But if Stroud continues to struggle, maybe there's something there with Chambliss?
While he has a limited track record at the FBS level, Chambliss proved to be a top dual-threat quarterback. He knows how to make plays, something you can't really say about Stroud at this point. Yes, he's undersized and needs to work on reading defenses, but there's definitely upside here.