Much will be made about Monroe Freeling's decision to turn pro after only three seasons at Georgia. Freeling is one of four Georgia players who have a good-to-outside shot of being a first-round pick this year. While linebacker CJ Allen is the closest thing to a lock Georgia has put forth in this year's draft, Freeling might be a close second. Daniel Jeremiah's 2026 NFL mock draft 1.0 has him top-32.
Freeling goes to the Houston Texans at No. 28 overall in Jeremiah's first NFL mock draft of the offseason. This comes two picks after Allen went No. 26 overall to the Buffalo Bills. Both former Georgia stars have been coming off the board in the mid-to-late 20s over the last several weeks. Clearly, NFL talent evaluators believe they can be nice pieces joining playoff teams moving forward.
With Freeling tabbed to the Texans, he can play a huge role in helping CJ Stroud get out of his own way and finally become a superstar in this league. Houston may have won a playoff game, but Stroud did not look the part vs. either the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New England Patriots. Having better protection up front could help Stroud make better decisions. Freeling's NFL upside is off the charts!
If this is the pick, Freeling could help Houston get to its first AFC Championship Game and beyond!
Monroe Freeling goes No. 28 overall to Houston Texans in NFL mock draft
The most important thing to realize when it comes to Freeling's NFL Draft stock is that he seems to be taking advantage of this being an incredibly weak offensive tackle class. As long as he goes in the first round, then it will have been worthwhile for him to leave, at least from a financial perspective. By going in the very late 20s, the chances of Freeling going to a playoff team will increase exponentially.
In short, Freeling has played with mostly good players in his college career. Yes, everybody in the NFL is the best of the best. However, going to a franchise like Houston that has been a mainstay in the postseason the last few years may give off the right kind of vibes for a promising rookie like Freeling to grasp on to. He may be a piece to take the Texans over the top, but he too could be impressionable.
Overall, Freeling seems like an NFL Draft prospect who is growing into being a first-round lock more and more by the week. That being said, this could move him higher up the draft board to a franchise who may need him to make a huge impact right away. Yes, Houston will want him to do that, but the Texans are a talent-rich team. Either way, Freeling being a first-round pick justifies him leaving early.
Going to a team with a proven commodity at quarterback could make things much easier for Freeling.