Next Drew Brees? Texans QB Prospect Bryce Young Compared To Saints Legend
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans have been upfront about their interest in selecting a quarterback with their No. 2 pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
And with the Carolina Panthers rumored to be interested in C.J. Stroud, the Texans seem to be in line to take Bryce Young from Alabama.
As a former Heisman winner, Young has all the intangibles needed to take the helm as Houston's franchise quarterback. But according to ESPN, the Alabama prospect has the qualities of future Hall-of-Famer Drew Brees.
Young has the same pocket poise that made Brees a 13-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. But ultimately, Young's skill set to thrive as an undersized quarterback is one of the most significant comparisons to Brees.
He has established himself as the top-rated quarterback due to his arm strength. But Texans coach DeMeco Ryans believes Young has all the tools to be successful in the NFL despite his modest stature at 6-foot-0 even, similar to Brees.
"For Bryce, I know it's a lot, going on to talk about his size," Ryans said. "The guy has done it at the highest level in college football and size hasn't seemed to be a problem. I don't see it as an issue because you watch the tape, and you put on the tape, and you see the kid play, and you see how smart he is."
Brees put together a 20-year career as a quarterback who also stood 6-foot-0. His size allowed him to focus on his production as a pure quarterback, as Brees finished his career throwing for 80,358 yards, second all-time in league history.
Brees' accuracy may have been his best attribute as a Hall-of-Fame quarterback, as he finished his career by completing 67.7 percent of his passes. Young's accuracy is another trait that has made him an intriguing prospect for Ryans.
"You see the anticipation, the accuracy," Ryans said. "You see how this guy is calm in critical moments. When you see those things, size isn't one of the factors that pop up on tape that's like, oh, man, it's a problem. Again, you just look at the track record, and see what he's done in the SEC, the highest level of college football he's been successful."
Brees began his career as a member of the San Diego Chargers during the 2001 NFL Draft, No. 32 pick overall. He joined the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in 2006, where he spent 15 years and led the franchise to their lone Super Bowl title in 2009.
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
Want the latest in breaking and insider news for the Houston Texans? Click Here
Follow Texans Daily on Twitter and Facebook
Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @LockedOnTexans today! Click here To Listen.
Want even more Houston Texans news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
