The Texans have had arguably the league’s best defense over the past few seasons led by defensive minded head coach DeMeco Ryans. Although Ryans is likely the sharpest defensive mind in the sport today, the personnel that the Texans have on the defensive side of the ball also has played a role in the team being so stout defensively. Here I will go into detail assessing the front seven personnel that Houston has heading into next season.
Will Anderson is set to start at the first of the two edge defender positions and is among the premier defensive players in the sport. Anderson was drafted third overall before the 2023 season and was expected to be the next great edge pass rusher in the NFL. Anderson has lived up to those expectations grading second among all players at his position during the 2025 season while also consistently improving every year. Anderson is the anchor of the Houston defense and of the team’s defensive line and is in the discussion for being the best defensive player in the sport.
Tommy Togiai is set to start at the first of the two interior defensive line spots for Houston and had a breakout year in 2025. Togiai struggled in each of his first three NFL seasons never getting a chance to play extended snaps. Although Togiai did not play starter snaps during the 2025 season, he still played easily the most snaps of his career and graded in the borderline elite range. It remains to be seen how consistently good he will be now that he is transitioning to becoming a full-time starter, but Houston should be optimistic he can perform very well for them.
Veteran former first rounder Sheldon Rankins is set to start at the other interior defensive line spot, but he is an aging inconsistent player. Rankins in ten seasons in the NFL has graded above average half the time and below average half the time and is set to play next season at 32 years old. Although Rankins is coming off a career best year, it remains to be seen what type of production the Texans will get from him upfront.
Veteran Danielle Hunter is set to start at the other edge rusher spot for the Texans and is a very good to a great player at the position. The two time second team all-pro and five-time pro bowler will turn 32 years old next season and like Rankins also had a career year playing for DeMeco Ryans. Hunter ranked in the top five among players at his position this past season and Houston should be set next year at the secondary edge rusher spot to Will Anderson if Hunter can remain healthy.
Set to start at the first of the three linebacker spots in the will linebacker role is Henry To’o To’o who was an elite player in college for the University of Alabama earning first team All-SEC honors on one occasion. He had a poor rookie season and then graded in the middle of the pack among players at his position in each of his next two seasons in the NFL. To’o To’o is the weak link in terms of being a starter for Houston on either side of the ball and could perhaps move to a reserve role at some point during the upcoming season. However, he has still looked solid and could certainly improve heading into next season.
Veteran Azeez Al-Shaair is set to start at the middle linebacker spot for the Texans this upcoming season and is a very good player. Al-Shaair consistently grades in the well above average but not elite range among players at his position. Although he is not a star, he is certainly a very good player and provides Houston with a strong middle linebacker to be the QB of their defense.
Linebacker EJ Speed along with To’o To’o are the weak links in terms of starters in not just Houston’s front seven but on their entire team. Speed in five seasons of extended snaps has graded in the above average range only once, although he was borderline elite in 300 snaps. Speed is likely better suited as a backup in the NFL and may transition to a reserve role at some point in 2026.
From a reserve standpoint in the Texans’ front seven Houston has some noteworthy players who could provide the team with some depth and/or eventually transition to a starting role. 2022 2nd rounder interior defensive lineman Logan Hall has underwhelmed in the NFL thus far but was still taken very highly for a reason and has consistently improved and even graded as slightly above average this past season. The Texans also drafted Kayden McDonald in the 2nd round of the 2026 NFL draft to bolster the interior of the defensive front as well. 2023 3rd rounder Marte Mapu was drafted pretty highly and had a meager start to his career as one would expect a young player to struggle. However, in very limited snaps during the 2025 season, Mapu graded as the seventh best player at his position and could continue that type of play going forward as such a high draft pick. Linebacker Jake Hummell has consistently graded in the well above average to borderline elite range in limited snaps in each of his first three seasons in the league. While essentially the same thing can be said for linebacker Jake Hansen who has graded as a borderline elite player in each of his first four seasons in the NFL, albeit in limited action. Finally, edge defender Solomon Byrd looked very strong in 20 career snaps and could also provide Houston with a very strong depth player.
The Texans have one of the premier front sevens in the sport anchoring likely the best defense in the NFL. Although they have a few weak links currently listed as starters, those players are at least decent and one of them has shown an elite ceiling. The two weak link linebackers also could be replaced in the starting lineup as the Texans have some very talented reserve linebackers as of now. Outside of that the Texans have no holes in their starting front seven, the high-end talent they have in Anderson Jr and Danielle Hunter ranks up there with anyone, while Houston also has solid depth in their front seven as well
2026 Projected Houston Texans Starting Front Seven
LDE – Will Anderson Jr – A to A+
LDT – Tommy Togiai – B+
RDT – Sheldon Rankins – B
RDE – Danielle Hunter – A-
WLB – Henry To’o To’o – C to C+
MLB – Azeez Al-Shaair – B to B+
SLB – EJ Speed – C+
2026 Notable Houston Texans Reserve Front Seven
DL – Kayden McDonald – 2026 2nd rounder
DL – Logan Hall – C to C+, 2022 2nd rounder, still potentially improving
LB – Marte Mapu – C+ to B-, could become an A level player
LB – Jake Hummell – B+ in limited snaps
LB – Jake Hansen – B+ in limited snaps
ED – Solomon Byrd – B+ in 20 career snaps
