DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans hope to extend their postseason run at least another week, but their roster could use a targeted injection of talent, and the 2026 draft could be the perfect place to find it.
A new mock draft would see the Texans turn to the NFL pipeline that is the Southeastern Conference to fill a void that Houston has patched together with veterans for years.
The time may have finally come to address the issue with a longer-term solution.
Texans Projected to Draft Florida DT Caleb Banks
GettyCaleb Banks #88 of the Florida Gators celebrates a fumble recovery against the LSU Tigers.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his latest mock draft on Thursday, and he projected the Texans to land Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks with the 28th overall pick. Of course, that would mean the Texans lose to the New England Patriots this weekend.
Still, Banks is a big-bodied presence in the middle of the defensive line, but one that offers more than just run-stuffing ability.
With the talent the Texans boast on the edges, adding an elite playmaker inside makes sense.
“The Texans have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL, mostly because of their edge rushers. The defensive tackles have produced better than expected, but Houston would be strengthening a strength by investing more in its interior,” Brugler wrote on January 15.
“Banks missed most of the 2025 season with a foot injury, but at 6-6, 335, he is a disruptive presence who has yet to play his best football.”
Adding Banks may be strengthening a strength (the defense), but it could also fill a need.
Caleb Banks an Intriguing Prospect
GettyHouston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans reacts against the San Francisco 49ers.
Brugler has been a big proponent of Banks’ talent. Banks was Brugler’s second-ranked DT, behind Clemson’s Peter Woods, heading into the season, before the analyst projected the Texans would draft him.
“Banks is a humongous human with verified measurements that will make him one of the NFL’s largest defensive linemen the moment he is drafted,” Brugler said in an article from July 2025. “That size is a strong selling point, but I was even more impressed with Banks’ dogged effort and ability to create force. Straight out of the Chris Jones playbook, Banks uses his length to create movement, and his effort from the backside is outstanding.”
Moreover, the young defensive lineman’s potential fit with the Texans is clear.
That is particularly true amid the loss of starter Tim Settle Jr. and backup Mario Edwards Jr., both of whom are out for the remainder of the season.
Texans Need to Think Long-Term at DT
Settle, fellow starter Sheldon Rankins, and backups Folorunso Fatukasi and Naquan Jones are all free agents after the season.
Even if several return, the Texans need to replenish the room, and drafting Banks could do that.
If there is a significant area of concern, it is his health. Banks had an injury-marred 2025 season that saw him aggravate a pre-existing foot issue, which Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder warned in December “could linger.”
After dealing with injury issues at defensive tackle and several other position groups this season, the Texans could look to invest their draft capital in a prospect with a cleaner history when they go on the clock in April.
New Mock 2026 Draft Projects Massive SEC Playmaker to Texans