jaytex'S MOCK DRAFT
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jaytex'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON JAN 29, 2026

JR-Tex-1-26-R

  • jaytex DRAFTING FOR THE
    Texans
Draft Selections
Kayden McDonald Head Shot
PICK: 28 RND: 1 (HOU)
Kayden McDonald
DL Ohio State
Olaivavega Ioane Head Shot
PICK: 38 RND: 2 (HOU)
Olaivavega Ioane
OG Penn State
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 59 RND: 2 (HOU)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Austin Barber Head Shot
PICK: 69 RND: 3 (HOU)
Austin Barber
OT Florida
Mike Washington Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 106 RND: 4 (HOU)
Mike Washington Jr.
RB Arkansas
Ar'maj Reed-Adams Head Shot
PICK: 128 RND: 4 (HOU)
Ar'maj Reed-Adams
OG Texas A&M
Oscar Delp Head Shot
PICK: 165 RND: 5 (HOU)
Oscar Delp
TE Georgia
Rueben Owens II Head Shot
PICK: 243 RND: 7 (HOU)
Rueben Owens II
RB Texas A&M
Haynes King Head Shot
PICK: 244 RND: 7 (HOU)
Haynes King
QB Georgia Tech
Draft Grade — Texans
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB TradesB- FutureB-
The Texans did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.

The Texans clearly saw something nobody else did in Mike Washington Jr., taking him 25 picks ahead of his grade. The board is not convinced. They moved the roster forward and banked a B- for it.

They covered a lot of ground and still skipped wide receiver, which is a strange place to end up. The Slaughter value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere. The roster is better shaped than it was, with running back chief among the fixes.

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

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the wide receiver spot they never got to.

Pick Analysis
Pick28 Rnd1 Kayden McDonald
In No. 28 they get a disruptive interior force at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick38 Rnd2 Olaivavega Ioane
No edge and no loss on Olaivavega Ioane in Round 2, Pick 6; it is a wash and a sensible one. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick59 Rnd2 Jake Slaughter
A tidy bit of business in the 59th overall pick, where Jake Slaughter graded well above the range. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick69 Rnd3 Austin Barber
They liked Austin Barber enough to skip the value, taking him in the 69th pick. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick106 Rnd4 Mike Washington Jr.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Mike Washington Jr. in pick No. 106, miles early. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick128 Rnd4 Ar'maj Reed-Adams
By-the-book stuff, Ar'maj Reed-Adams at pick 128 squarely in line with his ranking. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick165 Rnd5 Oscar Delp
Oscar Delp at pick 165 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick243 Rnd7 Rueben Owens II
They took Rueben Owens II at par in slot 243, which is nothing to complain about. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick244 Rnd7 Haynes King
Haynes King in the 244th overall pick is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.