The Houston Texans will have plenty of clarity as to how to put the final touches on the roster when the 2023 NFL draft rolls around.
The latest Draft Wire mock has the Texans taking care of quarterback right off the bat at No. 1 overall. Luke Easterling hits it off with the obligatory statement most mockers are going to write from now until about Thanksgiving when the Texans’ draft position starts to have some clarity.
If the Texans are picking this high, it’s likely the Davis Mills experiment didn’t go well. Stroud has all the tools to be a franchise passer at the next level, and has already put up huge numbers against top competition.
Not only would the Mills experiment have failed, but the entire team would have failed. As the Jacksonville Jaguars demonstrated over the past two seasons, it takes one and three-win seasons to secure the No. 1 overall pick. If the Texans are picking that highly, the rest of Houston’s football team would have had to fail spectacularly, not just Mills.
Regardless of what happens with quarterback or even the overall tenor of the season, edge rusher may be a need the Texans address. Defensive end Jonathan Greenard will be rounding third into the final year of his rookie contract in 2023. If general manager Nick Caserio and coach Lovie Smith don’t believe Greenard is their war daddy, they may turn to the draft to find Greenard’s replacement.
Enter Notre Dame edge defender Isaiah Foskey, who the Texans pick at No. 23 overall.
Houston reloaded their secondary with top talent in the 2022 draft, but Lovie Smith’s defense doesn’t work if the front four can’t get consistent pressure. Foskey has a well-rounded skill set that would allow him to flourish in this scheme, and he would make an immediate impact.
The Texans would be able to plug other holes across the roster after getting Stroud and Foskey.
