jaytex'S MOCK DRAFT
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jaytex'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON JAN 9, 2026

JR-Tex-1-26-a

  • jaytex DRAFTING FOR THE
    Texans
Draft Selections
Jeremiyah Love Head Shot
PICK: 27 RND: 1 (HOU)
Jeremiyah Love
RB Notre Dame
Olaivavega Ioane Head Shot
PICK: 38 RND: 2 (HOU)
Olaivavega Ioane
OG Penn State
Darrell Jackson Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 58 RND: 2 (HOU)
Darrell Jackson Jr.
DT Florida State
A'Mauri Washington Head Shot
PICK: 69 RND: 3 (HOU)
A'Mauri Washington
DT Oregon
Carter Smith Head Shot
PICK: 106 RND: 4 (HOU)
Carter Smith
OT Indiana
Mike Washington Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 126 RND: 4 (HOU)
Mike Washington Jr.
RB Arkansas
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 226 RND: 7 (HOU)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
Malik Hartford Head Shot
PICK: 242 RND: 7 (HOU)
Malik Hartford
S Ohio State
Brandon Inniss Head Shot
PICK: 243 RND: 7 (HOU)
Brandon Inniss
WR Ohio State
Draft Picks Received
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 226 RND: 7 (CIN)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 5 (CIN)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (CIN)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Jakobe Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 165 RND: 5 (CIN)
Jakobe Thomas
S Miami
Draft Grade — Texans
Overall B
ValueB NeedB+ TradesC+ FutureB-
No fireworks, just a tidy B for the Texans.

The Texans put a flag in the ground for Mike Washington Jr., 25 picks before anyone else would have, and the value took the hit.

Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. They banked enough surplus on Love to cover a lot of smaller sins. On the needs board they went 4 of 8, with running back the one that mattered most.

Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.

A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.

Pick Analysis
Pick27 Rnd1 Jeremiyah Love
In the 27th pick they get a workhorse for the backfield, outstanding value to boot. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick38 Rnd2 Olaivavega Ioane
Olaivavega Ioane at pick 38 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. The roster fit checks out.
Pick58 Rnd2 Darrell Jackson Jr.
They took Darrell Jackson Jr. at par in slot 58, which is nothing to complain about. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick69 Rnd3 A'Mauri Washington
Quietly one of the better values of the day, A'Mauri Washington at No. 69. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick106 Rnd4 Carter Smith
Carter Smith at the Round 4 slot is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick126 Rnd4 Mike Washington Jr.
Value said wait; Mike Washington Jr. in the 126th overall pick says they were not listening. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick226 Rnd7 Trey Zuhn III
The board had cheaper options than Trey Zuhn III at No. 226, and it noticed. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick242 Rnd7 Malik Hartford
Malik Hartford at the Round 7 slot is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the safety. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Pick243 Rnd7 Brandon Inniss
Brandon Inniss at Round 7, Pick 27 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.