Much of the focus for the 2023 NFL draft has been on the Houston Texans and Bryce Young. For some, the loss of Young, should the Carolina Panthers decide to take the Alabama quarterback No. 1 overall, would signal massive disappointment.
However, the 2023 field features a talented quarterback class. Just because the Texans miss out on Young doesn’t mean the situation is despondent and Houston can’t find premium talent to catapult their passing game back to elite levels.
According to Rhett Lewis from NFL.com, the Texans indeed have no chance to select Young in his latest mock draft as the Panthers pick the former 2021 Heisman Trophy winner. Nevertheless Houston adequately addresses quarterback with their No. 2 overall pick by taking Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.
The best pure passer in this draft uses ball placement as his superpower, elevating the skill players around him by allowing them to showcase their talents after the catch. Stroud’s stellar postseason performances at Ohio State give Houston a glimpse of the player he can be when the lights shine brightest, as he’ll be tasked with leading this team back to big-game situations.
Stroud would have a sufficient enough receiving corps to work with, even if the Texans don’t address receiver in the draft. Enter wideouts Robert Woods, Nico Collins, John Metchie, Amari Rodgers, and tight end Dalton Schultz as among his top targets.
With the No. 12 overall pick — obtained via 2022 offseason trade with the Cleveland Browns — the Texans pass on taking a first-round wideout and instead grab new coach DeMeco Ryans a defensive end to bolster the Texans’ edge defense. While Van Ness may not immediately have the impact Nick Bosa had for the San Francisco 49ers in Ryans’ past two seasons as their defensive coordinator, the former Iowa Hawkeye at least gives Houston an adequate piece to elevate their trench play.
