NFL Draft Recap: Houston Texans: 2023 NFL Draft Outlook

The Houston Texans had a very active 2023 NFL Draft. The most shocking of all their moves was trading up with the Arizona Cardinals to take two of the first three picks.

There were several predictions regarding their approach for the number two overall pick. They ended up getting two players who could serve as cornerstones of their resurgence.

The Texans also selected some interesting prospects in the later rounds, too. Let's take a look at who they picked and how they addressed the many needs that this organization had coming into the draft.

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Houston Texans 2023 NFL Draft class

• Round 1, 2^nd overall – C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
• Round 1, 3^rd overall – Will Anderson Jr., LB, Alabama
• Round 2, 62^nd overall – Juice Scruggs, C, Penn State
• Round 3, 69^th overall – Nathaniel Dell, WR, Houston
• Round 4, 109^th overall – Dylan Horton, DE, TCU
• Round 5, 167^th overall – Henry To’oTo’o, LB, Alabama
• Round 6, 201^st overall – Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame
• Round 6, 205^th overall – Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Iowa State
• Round 7, 248^th overall – Brandon Hill, S, Pittsburgh

Texans Go Loud For Stroud

Having a great quarterback can patch several roster holes. Despite all the predictions regarding the Texans’ second overall pick, they went with the one that made the most sense. They had their work cut out because they would go for the quarterback the Carolina Panthers didn’t select between Stroud and Bryce Young for the number one overall pick.

Stroud is the bigger prospect among the two and had an impressive 69.3 completion percentage as a two-year starter at Ohio State. He is ready to work with pro-level talent, considering he threw passes to Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison Jr.

Texans Continue To Build Receiving Unit

What good is selecting Stroud if you don’t surround him with talent? The Texans did that during the offseason by acquiring wide receivers Robert Woods and Noah Brown. They will also get back John Metchie III after battling leukemia.

But they were not done, using the 2023 draft to get Dell and Hutchinson. Dell had back-to-back 1,000-yard, ten-touchdown seasons in his final two years with the Houston Cougars, enough to make him a two-time First Team All-AAC member. Meanwhile, Hutchinson had 1,171 yards and six touchdowns with Iowa State last year.

Their rookie wide receivers can help improve an offense that finished 25^th in passing yards (196.7) and 31^st in points (17) per game last season.

If There’s A Will, There’s A Way

Will Anderson Jr. was regarded as the best overall talent in the 2023 draft, and the Texans could have drafted him at number two. But after taking Stroud, they were on the clock again after facilitating a trade with the Cardinals. The Texans could afford to give their first-rounder in 2024 to Arizona because they will still have the Cleveland Browns’ first-rounder due to the Deshaun Watson trade.

Anderson will help revive a Texans pass rush that generated only 39 sacks last season. Aside from him, they also took Horton and To’oTo’o to beef up their defensive front seven.

Houston Texans 2023 NFL Draft grade

The Texans get an A- for this draft class. Stroud and Anderson have the potential to become home run picks, while Dell and Hutchinson are sleepers. Drafting Scruggs and Patterson also made sense because of Houston’s struggles in the interior offensive line. This draft class can help turn the team’s fortunes around after missing the playoffs for the last three seasons.

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