The 2026 NFL draft was the last opportunity for most teams to add impact players for their roster. Some teams have increased their case for a successful season, and others failed to address holes on the roster. The Houston Texans, who are looking to compete for a Super Bowl, added some immediate impact players but also made some questionable moves.
With the draft over, Houston will now be compared to the other three teams in the AFC South to see who has the best roster. The Tennessee Titans used their two first-round selections to add Carnell Tate and Keldric Faulk, whom head coach Robert Saleh may be able to get the most out of. Neither the Indianapolis Colts nor the Jacksonville Jaguars had a first-round pick. The Colts appeared to get more value with their picks than the Jaguars, but only time will tell. Taking everything into account, which AFC South team has the best roster?
The AFC South: A closer look at the competition
Tennessee Titans
Last season was a disaster for the Titans, which saw them make changes to their front office and coaching staff. Since the changes, most of the priority has been building around the 2025 first overall pick, Cam Ward. To aid in his development, the team added Wan'Dale Robinson, Daniel Belinger, and of course Carnell Tate. In my opinion, Ward performed better than the numbers showed, and a better supporting cast should help improve his numbers.
Peter Skoronski is a force to be reckoned with upfront, but outside of him, the rest of the offensive line is not where you hoped it would be. With new offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, he may be able to get some more out of JC Latham and other players upfront. The Titans also do not have a great running back room with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears.
On defense, there is still a lot that needs to be fixed, but Saleh has been able to get the most of his defenses during his time as head coach of the New York Jets. Saleh traded for Jermaine Johnson II and signed John Franklin-Myers, both of whom he coached in New York. These two additions, along with Jeffory Simons already on the roster, could prove to be a strong front four.
The back seven is not as promising as the team's defensive line. The linebacker core is one of their weaker units, and their secondary is not much better. The Titans do have a strong linebacker who can take over a game or the right rotation of line backers to support the defense. Also, the team does not have a bonafide cornerback, one who can take away the competition's top option. While Saleh may have the ability to elevate a defense, he still doesn't have a lot to work with.
I believe the Titans made a lot of good moves to revamp the roster and help Cam Ward, but there are still a lot of moves they need to make before the roster is near complete. As of right now, they are still a long way from competing, and their roster is not near that of the Texans.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts just barely missed out on the playoffs and likely would have if Daniel Jones did not get hurt. Jones was on a one-year prove-it deal, and bringing him back was their top priority this offseason, which they did. They were also able to bring back Alex Peirce but did have to part ways with Michael Pittman Jr., who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Colts also have tight end Tyler Warren, who had over 800 yards as a rookie, and Josh Downs, making for a solid pass-catching group.
The Colts also pair one of the top offensive lines in the league, led by Quenton Nelson, with Jonathan Taylor. Their strong run game was the foundation of their early-season success along with strong performance from Jones. Assuming he comes back healthy from his torn Achilles. If Jones comes back healthy, it is likely the Colts' offense could start the 2026-27 season just like they did last year.
Similar to the Titans, the Colts have some strong players on their defensive front. Deforest Bunkner is still a solid defensive tackle, and Laitau Latu has taken a big step in the right direction as a pass rusher. If JT Tuimoloau, their second-round pick from a year ago, could also trend in the right direction, their defensive line would be a strong unit.
With their first pick in the draft, the Colts used it to add CJ Allen, a line backer from Georgia. Allen is an amazing addition who will be their starter on opening kickoff. Outside of Allen, their other inside linebacker spot will be a problem. Indianpolis also has a strong secondary that features Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward.
While their roster is better than the Titans, I do not believe that it is on par with that of the Texans. The Texans have a better overall defense and one of the best pass rushers in Will Anderson Jr. The Texans are also more well-rounded on defense along with a more talented pass-catching group.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars surprised just about everyone by winning 13 games and the AFC South. Usually when a team overperforms in year one of a new regime, the roster still remains incomplete, and that is the case for the Jaguars, who also have had a poor draft by most analysts. Trevor Lawrence is the right quarterback for the team and was a large reason they were as successful as they are.
The Jaguars do have some solid options in the pass game like Jakobi Myers, Brian Thomas Jr. (despite the down year), and Travis Hunter. Along with tight end Brenton Strange, these pieces form a new receiving corps for Larence and the foreseeable future.
For the rest of the offense, there is a lot to criticize. The offensive line was a problem last year, and they did not add much to it. While I really like them drafting Daniel Pregnon to play guard, there are still weak links among the offensive line. They also lost Travis Eitiene to the New Orleans Saints this offseason, and their replacement options are not good.
Similar to the other teams in this division, the Jaguars' strength in their defense is their front four. Trayvon Walker, Josh Allen-Hines, and Arik Armstead are among those players, and they make life harder for opposing quarterbacks. Also, like the other teams, I am concerned about some of these teams' secondaries.
Travis Hunter is a very nice corner to have, but there is not much help outside of there. Even though the Jaguars have the better quarterback here and a decent supporting cast for him, I still believe the Texans have the better roster.
The Verdict: The Texans still clears the field
With that being said, the Texans have the best roster in the AFC South. They have one of the best defenses in the league that is solid all around and includes stars such as Will Anderson Jr., Derick Stingley, and Nico Collins. Houston also made plenty of efforts to fix their offensive line and run game. The only large question still surrounding Houston is C.J. Stroud's return to the high level of play he promised as a rookie.
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