HOUSTON – Hello Texans fans! This is KPRC 2 Sports Director Randy McIlvoy checking in with this week’s Houston Texans Newsletter.
How are you feeling after the NFL Draft chaos that began Thursday and didn’t wrap up until late Saturday afternoon? Are you hopeful the picks made will be the right ones to help get this team move in the right direction again?
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Post draft it’s always fun to ready the “Report Cards” from the draft-niks out there that breakdown each class for all 32 teams. For the most part the Texans are getting respect for the decisions the organization mad over the three-day period. In all, a record 43 trades were made during the course of the NFL Draft and Texans general manager Nick Caserio made eight of those. Caserio doesn’t like to sit still and is not afraid of making moves if it’s best for the team. I really like what he and DeMeco Ryans were able to get done even giving up a little extra to trade up to #3 to snag Will Anderson Jr.
Here’s the draft breakdown for Houston and my takes:
1st Round / #2 overall Quarterback C.J. Stroud: I’ve said for a couple of months I don’t believe any of the quarterbacks are “franchise” type signal callers. Good QB’s? Definitely and maybe one of the four will actually be an impact quarterback in the NFL based on history. Stroud is solid in the pocket and won big at Ohio State. I’ll be shocked if he’s not the starter week one. As of now, he’ll be competing with Davis Mills and Case Keenum.
1st Round/ #3 overall: Edge Will Anderson Jr.: This kid out of Alabama is an all out beast who will be an impact player from day one. The Texans desperately need pass rush help and Anderson will play a huge role in revamping that key area. At Bama he had 34.5 sacks and 58 TFL. He gets after it and is going to be a nice fit for DeMeco’s Defense.
2nd Round/ #62 overall: Center Juice Scruggs: He was a player the Texans coveted. How much? They made a deal with the Eagles and gave up 3 picks to move up to get Scruggs. I think he’ll end up being the starter after camp. Scott Quessenberry is the returning starter but didn’t wow anyone, so the job is there for Scruggs to go in and win.
3rd Round/ #69 overall: WR Nathaniel “Tank” Dell: What a career he had at UH leading the nation in yards and touchdowns. He also caught 109 passes from Clayton Tune. Dell lacks size, but he is quick. He’s only 5′8″, 165 pounds but is a big-time playmaker. Staying healthy in the NFL will be key to Dell’s success in this offense.
4th Round/ #109 overall: DE Dylan Horton: The starter out of TCU is going to be a nice fit in this Texans defense. He had 10.5 sacks last season for the Horned Frogs. It may take some time, but the upside is there. He and Anderson could be a nice combo on the D-Line at some point.
5th Round/ #167 overall: LB Henry To’oto’o: He’s a playmaker out of Alabama. (Shocker right?). He played a couple of years for Nick Saban and was a star. Great instincts and has a nose for the ball. You hear those terms quite a bit on draft prospects, but To’oto’o checks all the boxes and brings depth to the linebacking core. He’ll learn a lot from fellow Bama alum Christian Harris and Christian Kirksey among others. I can’t wait to see To’oto’o during rookie camp and in big camp in late July.
6th Round/ #201 overall: Center Jarrett Patterson: He led a pretty solid OL at Notre Dame and is really versatile. He can play center and also move over to guard if asked. In three years in South Bend, Patterson never allowed a sack. That’s pretty impressive!
6th Round/ #203 overall: WR Xavier Hutchinson: The receiver is a stud from Iowa State who wreaked havoc on the Big 12 Conference the past couple of years. Just ask Steve Sarkisian and other Big 12 Head Coaches what they think of Hutchinson. He’s also a bigger frame at 6′3″. Looking forward to seeing how he fits into Bobby Slowick’s offense.
7th Round/ #248 overall: Safety Brandon Hill: Hill arrives from Pitt where he was a leader on that defense. He’ll have a lot to learn but hanging out with guys like new addition Jimmie Ward and 2nd year star Jalen Pitre certainly won’t hurt.
WHAT’S AHEAD FOR THE TEXANS?
The rookies and signed undrafted free agents report early next week to begin transitioning into the NFL Life. They will open rookie mini-camp on Friday, May 12 and carry on through that weekend. OTA’s and mini camp for veterans will run into early to mid-June before they break.