The Houston Texans addressed the interior offensive line in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Febechi Nwaiwu 106th overall. After spending his first three collegiate seasons at North Texas, Nwaiwu transferred to Oklahoma in 2024 and remained there until 2025. He began his senior campaign at right guard before moving to center for the final two games following Jake Maikkula’s absence. He allowed two pressures and two hurries across 13 starts, earning Second-Team All-SEC honors.
In his rookie season, Febechi Nwaiwu will compete against Jarrett Patterson, Evan Brown, and the loser of the center competition (Jake Andrews and Keylan Rutledge) for the swing guard/center role. He will likely serve as Ed Ingram’s backup at right guard.
The Houston Texans ink a potential Day 3 steal, wrap up the draft class
Jan 27, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; West offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu (54) prepares to snap the ball to West quarterback Haynes King (10) during the second half against the East at the Ford Center at the Star. Nwaiwu was named the recipient of the East-West Shrine Bowl Pat Tillman Award. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 on Wednesday, the Texans signed Febechi Nwaiwu to a four-year rookie contract, wrapping up the draft class. As Wilson notes, the deal is for $5.6 million, along with a $1.245 million signing bonus. Spotrac projects Nwaiwu’s cap hits to be $1.196 million in 2026, $1.361 million in 2027, $1.476 million in 2028, and $1.591 million in 2029. Additionally, he can earn more in Year 4 if he reaches a certain playing time threshold or makes the Pro Bowl on the original ballot.
#Texans made it official, wrapping up their rookie draft class with four-year, $5.6 million deal for fourth-round draft pick Febechi Nwaiwu, per a league source. Done deal. Nwaiwu has done well at right guard behind starter Ed Ingram https://t.co/3ifvxHOp6t
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 16, 2026
“Nwaiwu is reliably active with good length. After a bumpy first season with the Sooners in 2024, he displayed improvement in both phases. He centers opponents in front of him to stay connected and uses good technique to displace down-block targets. However, he is inconsistent finding his foe on move blocks. Chronic leaning and slow initial hand strikes can render his massive wingspan useless against two-gappers and in pass protection. Nwaiwu’s snaps at center offer a peek into what might be his best spot, but his position flexibility is a positive regardless.”
He projects as an average backup or special-teamer.
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