No Houston Cougars players were selected in last year's NFL Draft for the first time since 2015. That only lasted one season, as Houston returns its presence to the draft stage in 2026. Houston football was officially out of the rebuild in 2025 in the second season under coach Willie Fritz. The Cougars are now completely back to relevance in football after their first 10-win season since 2021, and a bowl game win. The reason why Houston was able to show it belonged in the Big 12 and get to double-digit wins was the talent on the roster. Fritz and the coaching staff greatly improved Houston's high school and transfer portal recruiting. Some of Houston's stars got the eyes of the NFL, but only one heard his name announced in the draft. Tanner Koziol: 5th Round, 164th Overall — Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) April 25, 2026 Koziol is the one who becomes the first Houston player to be drafted in the NFL since Patrick Paul in the second round in 2024.…