While many Houston Texans fans were looking for the team to make a massive splash in the NFL free agent market, new coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio have a different plan during their first year of working together. The Texans plan on doing some of their best work during the later rounds of the 2023 NFL draft.
“The later round talent is where I get more excited about the draft,” said Ryans during his interview at the NFL combine. “The earlier guys kind of separate themselves, and that is easy to see, but where you find value is those fifth, sixth round, and seventh round, those picks right there, for me, that is where you dig in, and you have to truly see what redeeming qualities does a guy have. Whether it is speed, physicality, or great hands, whatever that redeeming quality is, can you see something in a kid that you can help him develop and become better?”
Last season, the Texans were able to strike gold when they selected Florida running back Dameon Pierce in the fourth round with the 107th pick in Round 4. Pierce finished his rookie campaign with 939 yards rushing in the 13 games he appeared in and was considered one of the top rookies in 2022. He also accounted for 64% of the snaps from the running back position and had the fourth-longest run of the season when he scampered for a 75-yard touchdown run against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I would say we probably allocate as much time and resources to the players at the later end of the draft as we do at the front end,” said Texans GM Nick Caserio at the NFL Draft combine about late round success in the draft. #Texans #Sarge @TheTexansWire pic.twitter.com/SMrH2NIz2d
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) April 17, 2023
Another late-round selection with tremendous upside for the Texans is defensive lineman Thomas Booker out of Stanford. Although his stats are not as eye-popping as fellow rookies Pierce and safety Jalen Pitre, the fifth-round selection showed great potential in the ten games he appeared in, recording 15 tackles (11 solo).
“I think a lot of teams have had success in rounds five through seven and then post-draft free agency,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said at the NFL combine in February. “So, the same process you use with your early-round picks you apply to the end of the draft as well. I would say we probably allocate as much time and resources to the players at the later end of the draft than we do at the front end. If you can’t figure out the players in the front end, we have bigger problems, right?
“Those players are sometimes as important because they’re cost-effective, and they kind of supplement some of the things you do at the front end of the roster. I don’t want to speak for other teams in the league, but I think teams take a lot of pride in being able to find players in the late rounds. It just goes to show there are good football players that are littered throughout the draft, and you don’t want to limit yourself.”
The Texans have seven picks from rounds four through seven and could add some players that will help a rebuilding franchise that acquired some key free agents during the offseason.
