The Houston Texans have put the finishing touch on their 2026 draft class, signing fourth-round offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu to a four-year, $5.4 million rookie contract.
That deal closes the book on Houston’s rookie class for general manager Nick Caserio. First-round guard Keylan Rutledge and second-round defensive tackle Kayden McDonald drew the biggest early attention, but Nwaiwu’s signing matters plenty for a team trying to keep building in the trenches.
Nwaiwu fits the kind of profile Houston has leaned into under DeMeco Ryans. He came out of Coppell High School in Texas as an unranked, undervalued prospect, then walked on at North Texas and turned that chance into Freshman All-American honors. After transferring to Oklahoma, he became a steady force for the Sooners, starting every game and finishing his senior season as an All-American and a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which goes to the nation’s best former walk-on.
At 6-foot-4 and 319 pounds, Nwaiwu brings the kind of edge the Texans clearly value. He also brings rare flexibility. Over his college career at North Texas and Oklahoma, he started at right guard, right tackle and center.
That versatility showed up in a big way late in the 2025 season, when Oklahoma’s starting center went down. Nwaiwu handled snapping duties for the first time in college and helped the Sooners beat LSU to clinch a College Football Playoff berth.
For Houston, that kind of interior insurance is no small thing. The offensive line has already been reworked, and a player who can move between both guard spots and center gives Ryans a useful piece to lean on.
There’s also a clear path for Nwaiwu to make noise early. Rutledge will be in the mix for a starting job, but Nwaiwu has a chance to carve out rotational snaps right away. He put up 29 reps on the bench press, and his strength, intelligence and physical style fit Houston’s zone-run approach.
With Nwaiwu under contract, the Texans’ 2026 rookie class is complete. No holdouts.
No loose ends. Just a full group ready for training camp.
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