Is Texans' Draft Class NFL's Most Impactful?
It's not often the Houston Texans receive any form of praise from the national media, but thankfully for fans, this year's draft seems to have raised their stock.
Having received relatively positive grades across the board for their nine draft picks this year, CBS has now joined the party, ranking Houston's 2022 class the eighth-most impactful of this season.
Impactful rookies: CB Derek Stingley, OG Kenyon Green, S Jalen Pitre, LB Christian Harris, RB Dameon Pierce
Given how blah Houston's roster was in 2021, the Texans desperately needed to draft an impactful class of rookies. They did. Even if the above five first-year pros aren't all stars immediately, they're going to be in key roles right away.
Stingley was my No. 1 cornerback and I had a first-round grade on Pitre, as a slot defender. He's more nickel corner than pure safety. Harris plays to his 4.44 speed and is sudden in his movements. He needs to work on his tackling reliability. Pierce will be the feature back by November at the latest. There aren't many runners with his combination of compact size, natural power, and lightning-quick feet. - Chris Trapasso, CBS
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It comes as no surprise to see the two first-round selections (Stingley and Green) listed above as both are widely expected to start early on, as is the case for Pitre.
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Harris may not be such an instant impact player, however, given that they do have veteran linebackers Christian Kirksey, Kamu Grugier-Hill, and Jaylen Reeves-Maybin under contract - all of whom are well regarded.
Then there is CBS' prediction that Pierce will be starting by November which is an expectation shared by many given his consistent productivity in college and Houston's lack of a standout running back.
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The biggest surprise came with the exclusion of second-round wide receiver John Metchie III, given that he had 2,058 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in his last two years at Alabama. Also, in theory, he could fill an instant need for the Texans who are without a clear starting slot receiver.
