The Houston Texans finalized their hire of former team captain DeMeco Ryans as the sixth coach in franchise history.
Ryans arrival not only brings in the PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year but also marks a transition point in the Texans rebuild where there appears to be genuine faith, both locally and nationally, that Houston will be ready to play meaningful football soon. The team has 12 draft picks, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the most in the draft, and $37.1 million in salary cap space, the fourth-most in the NFL. There are plenty of resources to help Ryans improve what was one of the league’s worst rosters in 2022.
How might the decision to hire Ryans effect Houston’s future draft plans? In this mock Houston has already spent big money in free agency to address their needs at interior defensive and interior offensive line. Will Nick Caserio remain aggressive in the draft as he was in 2021 and 2022 with trades? Here’s a 2023 mock draft that showcases how the franchise may act with the general manager truly working equally with his coach for the first time.