After months of speculation, general manager Nick Caserio and new head coach DeMeco Ryans finally guided the Houston Texans through their first draft together. For a franchise that has felt irrelevant in the landscape of the NFL the past two seasons, the duo came with a game plan that they were ready to flip the narrative.
It was certainly hard for fans to be disappointed.
Houston walked away from Day 1 of the NFL draft with top-5 players on most big boards. Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud came off with the Texan’s own pick at second overall and just minutes later the team was able to trade up with the Arizona Cardinals and select edge rusher Will Anderson at third overall.
The transaction came at a heavy cost with the team’s 12th and 33rd overall selections in conjunction with their own 2024 first- and third-round pick, but a deeper dive says it’s defensible for the Texans.
Did the Houston Texans' 2023 NFL Draft, from the picks made to the trades done, change your expectations for the 2023 season?
Why or why not?
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) May 3, 2023