HOUSTON – The Houston Texans addressed their need at quarterback by trading with Cleveland to select Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson with the 12th overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.
The Texans traded away the 25th overall pick in this year's draft as well as their first-round selection next season to nab Watson.
With the 12th pick in the 2017 #NFLDraft, the #Texans select QB Deshaun Watson.
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) April 28, 2017
Welcome to Houston!#TexansDraft #WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/fMaBMvjZ3F
[PHOTOS: Inside the 2017 NFL Draft Party]
The Browns already have Houston's second-round pick in 2018 after receiving it in the trade for Brock Osweiler this offseason. Houston was in desperate need of a quarterback after giving up on Osweiler and trading him away one inconsistent season after signing him to a $72 million contract in 2016.
The only quarterbacks on their roster before the draft were Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden, giving Watson a great chance to start as a rookie.
Thank you, @HoustonTexans. Blessed and ready to get to work. Loving this #NFLDraft #PaniniInstant card, go get https://t.co/63XlY6E7VO pic.twitter.com/twjq4lceHX
— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) April 28, 2017
[READ: Houston Texans QB issue should leave mark in 2017 NFL Draft]
This is the first time the Texans have selected a quarterback in the first round since taking David Carr with the first overall pick in their first season.
[WATCH: Bill O'Brien on Deshaun Watson]
Watson threw for 4,593 yards and 41 touchdowns last season to lead Clemson to the national title.
[READ: Houston Texans' biggest draft needs]
The two-time Heisman Trophy finalist led Clemson to 28 wins in his last two seasons and to consecutive appearances in the national championship game. Watson went 32-3 in his career as a starter, which is the best winning percentage for a quarterback in school history. He finished his career third in Atlantic Coast Conference history with 12,094 yards of total offense and threw for 10,163 yards and 90 touchdowns in his career.
🙏🏾Blessed #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/A1vcFqkB50
— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) April 27, 2017
He joins a team featuring star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who also went to Clemson. Hopkins, Houston's first-round pick in 2013, expressed his excitement about the pick by simply tweeting a smiling face emoji soon after he was selected.
[WATCH: Rick Smith on trading up to get Deshaun Watson]
DRAFT PICK RECAP:
12. Houston (from Cleveland through Philadelphia)
Deshaun Watson, 6-2, 221, Clemson
Notable: In two national championship games against Alabama, Watson passed for 825 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception.
Sum-it-up-in-a-sentence scouting report: College superstar and charismatic leader, but pro scouts are still a bit skeptical because of accuracy issues, a penchant for forcing throws, and size and height that is a bit less than ideal.
In conclusion: First Clemson quarterback drafted in the first round since Steve Fuller in 1979.