17. Houston Texans - Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
The Houston Texans definitely had an active offseason, and it seems like GM Nick Caserio is never afraid to make roster changes. The main issue with the team in the 2024 NFL Season was their poor offensive line play, so they definitely added players to that unit.
The wide receiver room, which began the year as a strength, ended up being a weakness as both Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell went down with season-ending injuries, and Diggs signed with the New England Patriots in free agency.
However, we’ll take a different approach in this 2026 NFL mock draft and give the Houston Texans Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame. Joe Mixon had a good season in 2024, but he’s getting up there in age, and a regression could be on the horizon.
Houston being able to field an elite run game could help CJ Stroud and the rest of the offense for years to come.
18. Minnesota Vikings - TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Hats off to the Minnesota Vikings front office for building this roster up, as it’s quite good and might be one JJ McCarthy away from being a contender. The big headlining move for the Vikings this offseason was letting Sam Darnold leave in free agency to sign with the Seattle Seahawks.
Even in a year where Darnold threw over 30 touchdowns and led the team to 14 wins, they didn’t feel comfortable keeping him around. It’s McCarthy’s turn. Well, if he ends up being a hit, the Vikings may not have many issues to deal with on offense next draft cycle.
They could simply take whoever they want, and perhaps TJ Parker could be the guy for them. The defensive line is a hugely important unit, so adding bodies to it whenever possible is a good idea.