Three years after the Houston Texans turned in a draft that changed the shape of their roster, the class still looks loaded from top to bottom. The headliners got the biggest spotlight, but the depth picks helped too, and that’s what makes this group stand out: it wasn’t just about landing stars, it was about finding real contributors.
At the top sits C.J. Stroud, who wasted no time announcing himself as the kind of quarterback a franchise can build around.
His 2023 season was enough to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and launch Houston into contender territory in the AFC. The last two seasons haven’t matched that first burst, but he’s still been a strong quarterback and one capable of carrying the offense deep into the playoffs.
Grade: A-
Right behind him is the move that helped define the draft: Houston trading up to No. 3 for Will Anderson Jr. That gamble has paid off in a big way.
In three years, the edge rusher has piled up 30 sacks, 46 tackles for loss and 230 pressures. He was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 and hasn’t shown any sign of backing off.
Grade: A+
The Texans also found useful pieces in the middle and later rounds. Henry To’oTo’o has become a major part of DeMeco Ryans’ defense, especially against the run and as a blitzer.
For a fifth-round pick, he’s delivered exactly what a team hopes for and more. Grade: A
Jarrett Patterson has also been a steady hand. He isn’t projected to start next year, but he gives Houston valuable depth across all three interior offensive line spots and has already logged more than 1,500 snaps in his career. Grade: B
Xavier Hutchinson has carved out a similar role on offense. He may not become a 1,000-yard receiver, but he’s proven to be a dependable backup, and last season he set career highs with 493 receiving yards and three touchdowns. That kind of production from a sixth-round pick is hard to complain about.
Not every pick became a long-term answer, though. Juice Scruggs was useful and flexible, taking snaps at center, right guard and left guard while helping cover for an injury-prone line.
Still, he never locked down a permanent job and was dealt to the Detroit Lions this offseason, where he’ll compete for a starting role. Grade: C+
Tank Dell remains one of the most talented players from the class, but availability has been the issue. He was exceptional when on the field, yet a torn ACL, MCL and PCL in 2024 wiped out his 2025 season.
This year matters for him, both to prove he can stay healthy and to show he can still be the explosive playmaker Houston drafted. Grade: B-
Dylan Horton’s story has been about resilience as much as football. After being diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma during his rookie season, he fought his way back and settled into a rotational role on the defensive line. 2026 will be a key year for him to take another step. Grade: C
Brandon Hill, meanwhile, hasn’t had much of a chance to make an impact. He has moved between the practice squad and free agency and has played just one defensive snap in his career. Grade: D-
In Other News...
C.J. Stroud Just Put The Texans In A Franchise Defining Spot
The Texans have reached the kind of quarterback crossroads that can shape a franchise for years, with C.J. Stroud now sitting at the center of a decision that goes well beyond routine contract talks. Houston can try to lock him in on a long-term extension, but the fact that a trade is even part of the conversation shows how high the stakes are for a team that still views itself as building around a young passer.
League reaction to Strouds market is split, which is part of what makes this so tricky for Houston to sort through. He has already shown enough in the regular season to draw serious interest, but his uneven postseason and the lingering question of whether he can become more than a solid starter leave evaluators divided, and any team trying to pry him loose would likely need to pay in draft capital and commit to him financially for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Will Anderson Sends Clear Message After Texans Painful Playoff Exit
After the Texans run ended with a loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round, Will Anderson Jr. was already looking ahead. Speaking at his football camp, the defensive end said the teams attention has shifted to what comes next, with a clear emphasis on putting the disappointment of the previous season behind them and building toward 2026 with bigger expectations.
Anderson pointed to the way the whole roster has approached the offseason as a sign of where this group is headed, noting the work being done across offense, defense and special teams. He also liked what he saw from the rookies during OTAs, which only adds to the sense that Houston is trying to turn an early playoff exit into fuel for the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Calen Bullock Just Entered A Different Tier For Texans Fans
Calen Bullocks rise has gone from promising to hard to ignore, and it now has national validation to go with it. ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler included the Texans safety in his top 10 ranking for 2026, the first time Bullock has cracked that tier, a notable step for a player whose reputation has been built on range, instincts and a knack for finding the football.
Across his first two seasons, Bullock has already piled up nine interceptions, and league sources clearly see the turnover creation as the defining trait in his game. His tackling has been viewed as adequate to average, but for evaluators around the league, the ability to erase mistakes and flip possessions is carrying more weight than the rough edges, which is exactly why his stock keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]