Texans' Last Five Drafts Analyzed: Hits, Misses, and Future Expectations

A deep dive into the Texans' draft performance over the past five years, evaluating key contributors and overall value.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 1:35pm

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This article takes a comprehensive look at the Houston Texans' last five NFL drafts, analyzing the performance and value of each class through statistical metrics like Weighted Career Approximate Value (WAV) and the number of starters and contributors produced. The analysis reveals a mixed bag, with some strong drafts balanced by a few disappointing ones, providing insights into what the team can expect from future selections.

Why it matters

Understanding the Texans' recent draft history is crucial for evaluating the team's current roster, future outlook, and the effectiveness of the front office's player evaluation and selection process. This analysis offers a data-driven perspective on the team's drafting prowess, which is essential for fans and analysts to assess the organization's progress and potential.

The details

The article examines the Texans' drafts from 2021 to 2025, looking at the average WAV per player, weighted average WAV, and identifying the key contributors from each class. The 2023 draft stands out as the most productive, with four starters and three contributors, while the 2025 draft is labeled as the weakest, with only three starters and two contributors. Overall, the Texans have averaged two starters and two contributors per draft over the last five years, though the author suggests a more realistic expectation for future drafts may be three starters and three contributors given the increased competition for roster spots.

  • The article was published on April 8, 2026.
  • It analyzes the Texans' drafts from 2021 to 2025.

The players

C.J. Stroud

A key contributor from the Texans' 2023 draft class, Stroud has been a Pro Bowler and was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.

Will Anderson

A key contributor from the Texans' 2023 draft class, Anderson has been a Pro Bowler for two years and was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.

Derek Stingley

A Pro Bowl player for the Texans in 2021 and 2022, Stingley was a key contributor from the team's 2022 draft class.

Jalen Pitre

A Pro Bowl player for the Texans in 2022, Pitre was a key contributor from the team's 2022 draft class.

Kamari Lassiter

A key contributor from the Texans' 2024 draft class, Lassiter was a Pro Bowl-level performer in 2022 and is expected to return to the Pro Bowl in 2023.

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What they’re saying

“When you get four starters out of a draft you have done extremely well.”

— Scott Barzilla, Author

“This one might forever be known as the what if draft.”

— Scott Barzilla, Author

“Was the 2025 draft really the worst draft or is it just that much more difficult to break into the rotation for these young players?”

— Scott Barzilla, Author

What’s next

The author suggests that a more realistic expectation for future Texans drafts may be three starters and three contributors, given the increased competition for roster spots.

The takeaway

The Texans' recent draft history has been a mixed bag, with some strong classes balanced by a few disappointing ones. Understanding the team's draft performance and value creation is crucial for evaluating the front office's player evaluation and selection process, as well as the team's current roster and future outlook.