Dylan Horton

Career StatsD-

Year	Team	GP	Sacks	Tkl	TFL
Career		39	0.5	55	3
2025		16	0.5	26	1
2024		13	0.0	16	1.5
2023		10

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Houston Texans got a D+ Contract Value Index out of the Dylan Horton signing because the guaranteed money matches the production tier. A third-year defensive end still operating on rookie scale terms at $1.2M AAV has to earn his contract through on-field impact, and Horton's 2025 season numbers — 26 tackles and 0.5 sacks across 16 games — don't move the needle on either side of that equation. He's a replacement-level depth piece whose minimal production hasn't generated the kind of defensive film or statistical profile that would justify premium or even mid-tier reserve compensation. At 25 with three NFL seasons behind him, Horton is past the "developing prospect" window and squarely in prove-it territory, and the silence around his profile — no recent headlines, no analyst buzz, no momentum — signals that the on-field work hasn't forced a reassessment from the Texans' coaching staff or national observers. Houston's recent activity adds depth across the roster but doesn't elevate Horton's standing within the organization, leaving him competing for snaps rather than a defined role heading into the regular season. The four-year rookie deal is league-neutral in structure; the CVI grade reflects that Horton simply hasn't done enough to justify anything beyond a fringe roster spot at this stage of his career.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the D band — a quick read on where Dylan's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Dylan Horton delivers production that earns a D- performance grade against DE comps. Through three NFL seasons, he has failed to establish himself as a meaningful contributor on the defensive line, and his 2025 campaign only reinforced that trajectory: 26 tackles and 0.5 sacks across 16 games reflects the tape of a reserve-level rotational end competing for snaps rather than a prospect with developmental upside. His modest tackle total is his only bright spot relative to the sack production, but 26 tackles over a full season for a defensive lineman is hardly a vote of confidence, especially paired with half a sack and minimal disruptive impact. Durability has not been an issue — Horton played all 16 games — but availability without productivity is a distinction without a difference at this position. The Houston front office's aggressive offseason investment in impact contributors along the defensive line and secondary suggests the organization views Horton as fringe depth rather than part of the core rotation, leaving him in a precarious spot as a fourth-round pick from 2023 who has not yet flashed the tape to justify his draft capital or secure a long-term role. His anonymity across the national media landscape is entirely earned: three years in, he remains stuck at replacement-level performance with no compelling evidence that a breakthrough is imminent.

How Dylan Compares at the Position

Dylan Horton ranks 135th of 147 graded defensive ends by performance. That slots Dylan between Barryn Sorrell (D) just ahead and Myles Cole (D-) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Dylan Horton's public perception heading into 2026 is exactly what you'd expect from a replacement-level defensive end who has spent three years operating well below the media visibility threshold — largely anonymous, generating almost no meaningful coverage or fan discussion outside of fringe roster debates. The narrative around him is driven almost entirely by the absence of a narrative: three NFL seasons have produced 26 tackles and 0.5 sacks in the 2025 season, a modest $1.2M annual contract, and no compelling storylines to shift the discourse in either direction, leaving him stuck in that vast middle tier of NFL players who exist on rosters without ever capturing analyst attention. That anonymity aligns directly with a performance grade sitting at F, meaning the on-field production isn't generating the kind of tape that could organically build momentum or force a reassessment from coaches, scouts, or media. Houston's aggressive offseason activity — adding Braden Smith, Wyatt Teller, Evan Brown, Reed Blankenship, Foster Moreau, and Marte Mapu — signals a front office investing heavily in impact contributors, which only further marginalizes Horton's standing within the organization and deepens the sense that he is competing for a roster spot rather than a role. The sentiment trending from D to D+ is less a sign of genuine momentum and more a reflection of baseline stability — he hasn't done anything to crater his standing, but until he finds a way to break through defensively and force the conversation, his perception remains stuck in neutral and his roster security heading into the regular season looks precarious.