Houston Texans IN TROUBLE Before The 2026 NFL Draft + Will Anderson Jr. IGNITES Texans Fans

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:06]Welcome into Texans Today presented by Prize Picks. I'm your host Jeremy Jugs and on today's show, Will Anderson Jr.

[00:00:13]had his press conference after signing a historic extension and you should be fired up about it. Also on today's program, Texans that might be in trouble during the 2026 NFL draft. I'll talk about those guys here in the middle of today's show. And at the very end, the latest that I'm hearing around the NFL draft and a possible trade-up scenario for your Houston Texans. I'll tell you why and the rationale for my guy Todd McShet. Before we get going with today's storylines, we are getting ever so close to 50,000 subscribers. Make sure to hit that sub button. We're 450 away. If we can get there, I'm going live for the first two nights of the NFL draft. So, help me out. Go down and hit that subscribe button. It's 100% free. Plus, you get Texans content all year long.

[00:01:00]All right, let's get into the first story line around Willie Anderson Jr.

[00:01:03]His press conference. He spoke to the media after setting that amazing $50 million a year deal. Really, I mean, setting the benchmark for non-quarterback deals in the NFL. He's the highest paid edge rusher, highest paid defender in NFL history. And after listening to his pre press conference, I'll say I don't think anybody deserves it more in the NFL than this man right here, Will Anderson Jr. If you're pumped that he's a Texan for the foreseeable future, if you're pumped that we have Will Anderson Jr. on this team right now, go drop those 51s down in the comments section. Let him know that you're happy that he is sticking around in Htown. Obviously, I've said it throughout the past year and a half. I think he's the best player on this Texan squad, bar none. Full stop. Period. And the Texans proved me right with that by giving him that historic extension.

[00:01:52]Going to my guy Aaron Wilson. He had some great reporting. He was at the Texans facility during that press conference for Will Anderson Jr. Going to roll through a couple of his uh tweets around the what he had to say and everything around Will Anderson Jr. The first one, Will Anderson Jr. When this happened, I was thinking about nobody but my family. My family is set. That's why I got so emotional. My mom and dad working overtime. And you know, he talked about his family. He talked about his life, his upbringing, and like I said, I don't think anybody, not that no one deserves it more than him, but it couldn't have gone to a more deserving guy than Will Anderson Jr. He talked about his flight coming back to Houston.

[00:02:28]He was working out and he was like, "Uh, the person next to me must have thought I was crazy because he said he was crying the entire flight back to Houston, which I mean really touches your heart for somebody who works and puts puts in as much work as Will Anderson Jr. Another tweet from uh Aaron Wilson. Will Anderson Jr. super proud of the culture that's being built here. Big shout out to Demo. He always preaches swarm. It's been brainwashed into everybody in the building. He has an open door policy. We connect on a spiritual level as well. And you know that goes into what De Mo said about, you know, getting guys that he knows that can buy into his system, getting guys that fit the culture here in Houston. And obviously one of the biggest tone setters, one of the biggest, you know, culture guys in the locker room is Will Anderson Jr. and along with that his running mate on the defensive side, Derek Stingley. He talked about their relationship and saying that, you know, he's trying to put in just as much work as Dererick Stingley Jr. Whenever you have your two top performers, your two top players with this kind of mindset, it's infectious and it makes the rest of the team that much better. And that's why Houston had no qualms with making Derrick Stingley and Willie Anderson Jr.

[00:03:34]both the highest paid guys at their position. And this is what needs to get you fired up, Texans fans. This quote from Will Anderson Jr. is what should get you absolutely ecstatic for next season. This is what he had to say after the last game going into workouts training. That's all I've been thinking about. Ask me about the contract. Yeah, the contract is cool, but ask me about winning. That's more important. How we get over this hump. How can we get past the second round? Even after getting his contract, even after probably one of the best days of his life, his mind immediately goes back to how can this team get better? He talked about the free agency class. He talked about, you know, the guys that are going to be added to this team through the draft and how excited he is to prove everybody that this is not just a team that, oh, get so close but can't get over the hump. Can just get there, but can't quite beat the best teams in the NFL. He wants this Texans team. He wants H-Town to all stand up and recognize that this team is good enough to get to the promised land and that he's going to try to take us there. Now, coming up, Texans that could be in trouble before the NFL draft. We'll discuss who I think those guys who might be in trouble are. But before we get into that, quick shout out to our friends over at Prize Picks, America's number one fantasy sports app out there. Today's show is sponsored by Prize Picks. The playoffs are here for basketball and hockey. baseball. It's in full swing and there's no better place to cash in on all the sports action with our friends over at Prize Picks, America's number one sports pick app.

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[00:06:06]Prize picks. It's good to be right. All right, coming up next, we're going to discuss some guys that I think might be in trouble before the 2026 NFL draft.

[00:06:19]Here are the five guys, and I've discussed them a lot here on the show before, but going left to right, Xavier Hutchinson, the Texans, they brought in Denzel Boston as a guy in a top 30 visit. And a lot of people are viewing the Texans as a sneaky team to take a receiver early on in the draft. If they do that, that might spell the end of Xavier Hutchinson's time in Houston, or at least him getting good playing time.

[00:06:44]Because you think Tank Dell coming back, you have two guys going into year two and Jaylen Null, Jaden Higgins, Nico Collins is obviously that wide receiver one. That leaves Xavier Hutchinson in this kind of awkward position of what's his role on the team moving forward, right? I think we all believe that the Texans could add another receiver and Xavier Hutchinson could very well still make the Texans roster, right? They could keep six wide receivers and him be that last guy and be somebody who just in case injury this that or the other, he's there if we need. but it does affect his playing time if the Texans do go ahead and select another wide receiver early on in the draft. Blake Fischer kind of the same thing. He's somebody who the Texans drafted in round two out of Notre Dame. He's still only 23 years old, but with all of the rumors that the Texans are adding more O line, right? They already signed two guys in free agency. Um they signed, you know, Wyatt Teller, Braden Smith. Braden Smith kind of taking over for Blake Fischer in what should have been his job at the right tackle spot. The Texans did not feel comfortable in having him be the starting right tackle moving forward.

[00:07:48]They might not be comfortable with him being the swing tackle either from the reports that I've heard. The Texans could go offensive tackle in round one if they do. So, that spells trouble for Blake Fischer. Maybe somebody on the trade block for your Houston Texans.

[00:08:00]Another guy is Cade Stove at the tight end spot. The Texans also rumored to be looking at the tight end uh position in their pre-draft presser. You know, Nick Gacerio, he talked about this tight end room kind of being a big question mark, right? Kate Stove got injured at the end of last year. Also, two years of production where he hasn't been, you know, as productive as somebody that you want from getting somebody in the third round, right? Brevin Jordan's been injured the past two years. They signed Foster Monroe, but he's coming off a year where he was injured in New Orleans. You have Luke Leachch, who you drafted in the seventh round. The only guy who I think they feel really confident in is that tight end one, Daltton Schultz. But they're looking for more, you know, productivity out of that tight end room. Going to the defensive side, Sheldon Rankings. He did resign with the Houston Texans before the start of NFL free agency, but he is getting up there in age. He's 32 years old going into this year, and I don't think he's in trouble of a roster spot this year.

[00:08:56]At least, you wouldn't think, right? But if the Texans double dip at defensive tackle, you never know what's going to happen during, you know, the preeason, during training camp, during those workouts, if they get some blue chip guys. Sheldon Rankins, not that he could, I mean, he might lose a roster spot, but he could very well also lose playing time depending on how high they draft those guys and how ready they are to contribute this season for your Houston Texans. And then lastly, Jaylen Smith. A big point of contention has been the Texans secondary. Not the starting unit, but the depth of that secondary. And that kind of lies in Jaylen Smith. The third round pick from last season. Was injured at the very beginning of the year. Only played a a handful of games for this Texan squad.

[00:09:40]But obviously, you know, the Texans, they were pretty lucky last year in terms of their corner health. Derrick Stingley, Kamari Ler, played in most of the games last year. Same with Jaylen Petri. He's had his injury problems in the past before, but I do think the Texans want to look at more corner depth, more safety depth in the draft.

[00:09:58]And what does that mean? If they add another corner, that means Jaylen Smith is fighting for those CB3 reps behind Singley, behind Lasser to see who would go in if one of those guys wasn't able to give it a go during the season. These are the Texans that I think are in the most trouble going in to the 2026 NFL draft. You could maybe add Jake Andrews, but I think even if the Texans draft a center, he will get a he'll get a basically chance to start. Like, he's not going to immediately get dethroned at that center spot. Jake Andrews is going to have a chance to prove himself regardless of who they draft unless they get somebody in round one, but I don't foresee them going center in round one.

[00:10:37]I gave you my names. Let me know. Is it somebody that I listed or is it somebody else? Which Texan do you think is in the most trouble before the 2026 NFL draft?

[00:10:46]I'm interested to see what y'all have to say. All right, let's go on with the latest NFL draft buzz. More stuff coming out from my guy Aaron Wilson. Texans have displayed consistent interest in edge position per league sources, including recently with um Illinois all Big 10 outside linebacker Gabe Ais this past season. 13 and a half tackles for loss, 11 sacks, three force fumbles last season, 30 bench reps, 4.6 40 yard dash, 1 59 10 yard split. He's a projected day two pick in the NFL draft. And you know, the last time the Texans took a uh Illinois edge rusher early on in the draft turned out pretty good. It was Whitney Merciless and he had a really good career with your Houston Texans.

[00:11:33]Definitely a name to consider for the Texans. Maybe they're at pick 38, maybe at 59 if he falls all the way to the end of round two. More draft news and buzz.

[00:11:42]A Texans top 30 visit might not go in round one. Jam McCoy from Tennessee. The Texans brought him in for a pre-draft visit. One of their top 30. Tom Pelisero is reporting that he might not go round one because teams are worried about a knee injury that he has sustained. So definitely somebody to look at if you're the Houston Texans. And you know, right there at 38, I think that might be a sweet spot of, you know, you're definitely taking a risk on somebody with a knee injury. But if you're getting somebody at the beginning of round two who's a round one talent, it might be worth the risk to go ahead and try to get that guy. You know, the the talent might outweigh the, you know, concerns around his knee injury.

[00:12:24]Definitely somebody to look at for the Houston Texans there early on in round two. Also, Jordan Schultz tweeting this out. six players who from what I'm hearing have a shot to go in the first round. Now, whenever he talks about these guys into first round, right? I'm thinking Houston Texans, right? They have one of the final picks in round one. They pick at 28. So, whenever you're looking at guys like a Denzel Boston, the Texans brought him in for a top 30 visit. Colton Hood, the Texans have been rumored to be possibly looking at linebacker and CJ Allen. Jadarian Price maybe obvious obviously less likely now that the Texans they brought in David Montgomery in that trade with the Detroit Lions but Malachi Lawrence was the top 30 visit. Same with Max uh uh what is it? Maxahanore. I think all these guys definitely are in play for your Houston Texans. And the fact that Jordan Schultz is saying that these all these guys have a chance to go round one that makes me think that they could be a possibility for the Texans there at 28 if they stay there. Also, another really good draft nugget from Todd McShay, one of the best in the biz. This is what he had to say from what he's hearing before the draft. Teams interested in the tackle group that are selecting behind Detroit include the Steelers, Eagles, Bears, Niners, Texans, Chiefs, Patriots, Browns, and Dolphins. I can't confirm they're all specifically making calls, but don't be surprised if one of those teams makes an aggressive move up the board Thursday night. And when you're thinking aggressive, when you're thinking trades in the NFL draft, you're probably thinking Texans GM Nick Cacerio. And as I mentioned, they have had top 30 visits with some of the top tackles in this year's draft. Max Aahanor, Kayen Proctor, Blake Miller, Caleb Lomu, all were brought in for those top 30 visits. So, could the Houston Texans possibly try to move up to select one of these guys if they fall into the late teens? I don't know if they'll jump over the Detroit Lions. I believe they select at 17 or 18 in this year's draft. That would be a steady jump. They'll probably have to give up some good draft capital if they want to move up that far. But I could definitely see them trying to, you know, jump into the early 20s, maybe jump the Philadelphia Eagles there at 23 to select one of these guys if they really seriously want to go tackle in round one. All right, that's all I got for you on today's video. Make sure you follow me on X, Jeremy Chugs. I'll be tweeting around the Houston Texans, giving you all my draft intel news and notes. And if you made it to the end of today's show, well, we're doing something right.

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