Some starting traditions don’t change. The Summer Olympics begin with the lighting of the torch, a Star Wars film has an opening crawl, and 2023 NFL mock drafts have the Houston Texans taking Bryce Young No. 1 overall.
According to Doug Farrar from the Touchdown Wire, the Texans do nothing different in that regard as they nab the Alabama signal caller with their proprietary selection. However, the Texans use their No. 12 overall pick — thanks to an offseason trade with the Cleveland Browns — to take Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba Smith.
Now that the Texans have their franchise quarterback in Young, let’s add to that with Smith-Njigba, who might slip through the first half of the first round after a 2022 season in which he missed all but three games due to injury. But if you go back to his 2021 season, when he caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns, you’ll see a slot dominator who can also burn enemy defenses from the outside. Adding Young and Smith-Njigba in this draft would revolutionize a Texans offense in desperate need of just that.
https://twitter.com/NFL_DougFarrar/status/1603202273982959616
Smith-Njigba would join a young but talented receiving corps that includes Nico Collins and John Metchie — regardless of what happens with Brandin Cooks. The Texans would also have a talented running back with Dameon Pierce who would be in his second year.
