Texans Draft CJ Stroud? Houston Needs to Answer QB Question
The Houston Texans were saying all the right things about giving Davis Mills the chance to prove he can be the starting quarterback for them moving forward.
After a 1-8-1 start to the season, however, the audition came to an end and Kyle Allen was inserted as the starting quarterback.
Allen is now 0-1 himself this season after throwing two interceptions to one touchdown in a 30-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
It's only one game, but it's likely safe to assume Allen isn't going to be the long-term answer at the position either.
So maybe CJ Stroud will be after he's drafted by the Texans with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
"It has become clear that Davis Mills is not the long-term solution in Houston," writes Sports Illustrated's Ric Serritella in his latest mock draft. "GM Nick Caserio would likely prefer the traditional pocket-passer quarterback in Stroud, which would provide a much-needed boost of optimism. Despite a lackluster performance against Michigan, Stroud still seems to be the consensus quarterback on most NFL Draft boards."
Drafting a quarterback with the top pick in any draft has become a very popular idea in modern NFL times, but Houston isn't just in need of an upgrade at that position.
And with their next pick, via the Cleveland Browns, Serritella has the Texans focusing on the other side of the ball.
"An immediate impact player at Clemson, the versatile (Myles) Murphy has recorded double-digit tackles for loss every season, to go along with 18.5 career sacks thus far," he writes about the new Texans defensive end in this mock draft. "While the Texans have Jerry Hughes under contract for another season, he’ll be 35 years old next year. Murphy would be an excellent piece to initially work into the defensive line rotation and be groomed to take over the role of Hughes, as he can also play inside or outside."
Ideally, you want to see the Texans getting better in the first round of the draft like they do at quarterback.
Instead, Houston prepared to replace an already solid piece of its defense with the second first-round pick, rather than complimenting the first and improving another area of need.
Of course, neither approach is guaranteed to work out in the long run, but adding an offensive lineman like fellow Buckeyes standout Paris Johnson could not only upgrade the unit as a whole but would also help Stroud in his transition to the NFL.
If you're a fan of the trade back scenario, netting more picks and landing a receiver like Tennesee Volunteers prospect Jalin Hyatt could pair nicely with running back Dameon Pierce and receiver Nico Collins.
Especially if Brandin Cooks is moved in the offseason.
There's plenty of time to talk draft strategies for the Texans, and unfortunately, the aspirations for this franchise lie solely on 2023's shoulders.
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