Houston Texans center Jarrett Patterson (54) and guard Tytus Howard (71) drop back into pass protection in front of quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Houston. Howard moved to left guard from the right tackle position against the Dolphins.

After some trades, the Houston Texans have eight picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, including a first-rounder and a pair of second round selections.

The Houston Texans drew plenty of plaudits for their nine-man draft class over the weekend. One pick in particular made former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. positively giddy in a video released Saturday.