The Houston Texans are assuredly going with a quarterback at No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. The only factor to be determined is who that quarterback will be.
According to Ryan Wilson from CBS Sports, who released his latest mock draft, the Texans use that second overall selection to take Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Texans essentially settle after the Carolina Panthers pick Alabama’s Bryce Young.
The pick that holds more mystery is Houston’s No. 12 overall selection — obtained via 2022 offseason trade with the Cleveland Browns. Some positions may not be of needs, for instance, since the Texans extended Laremy Tunsil. Nevertheless there are still some directions the club can go.
Instead of giving Stroud a fellow first-rounder to throw to, the Texans put an edge defender on the opposite side in an effort to give new coach DeMeco Ryans his answer to Nick Bosa.
Jerry Hughes, who had nine sacks last season, is 34 years old and entering the final year of his deal. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo was second on the team with 5.5 sacks, but he signed with the Browns in free agency. The Texans did trade for Shaq Mason to solidify the interior offensive line, and an offensive tackle is certainly an option here, but instead Houston goes with pass-rusher. Lukas Van Ness never started a game at Iowa, but that’s not the point. The point is that NFL teams love his size, his athleticism, and where his game could be a couple of years from now. Purdue’s George Karlaftis went at the end of Round 1 a year ago, and USC’s Drake Jackson went a round later; both players were high-upside prospects who exceeded expectations as rookies. Van Ness is in the same conversation but could be the best of the bunch.
Van Ness generated 37 combined tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 6.0 sacks through 13 games with the Hawkeyes.
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