The Houston Texans are rolling with Davis Mills for this upcoming season. Rather that is right or wrong, it doesn’t matter. What matters is their future plans for the quarterback position. In that, there has been a popular debate between the top two quarterbacks in the draft- Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud.
When the Texans stated, without actually saying words, that they were going to roll with Mills for the upcoming season. It left a lot of mixed emotions floating around the city of Houston. The happy were because they understood that there was not really a top quarterback in the draft. The angry were mad because Mills is not the solution and the upside with Malik Willis is very high.
I am impartial on both of those statements because both are very fair. However, I would’ve liked to have seen them do something in free agency. Rather that is signing a guy like Ryan Fitzpatrick, or someone along that lines. Or they could make a move via. trade for a guy like Jimmy Garoppolo. But, they didn’t and with Mills- there is no harm, no foul.
If Davis Mills goes out there this season and performs well, then they may have found their quarterback. If he plays mediocre-to-bad, then they can get a top pick in the draft and select one of the top quarterbacks. Which personally, I feel is the more realistic option.
So, with that being said, there will be a lot of debate regarding the two top quarterbacks- Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. So, who will be the better fit for the Texans?
Well, let’s take a look at what the Texans could be getting in either or.
What Would the Texans be Getting in C.J. Stroud?
The Houston Texans decided to go with the Davis Mills train this year, but in that, it probably means that they have confidence moving forward that if he doesn’t play well, they can get a top end quarterback in the draft. A guy they have been linked to heavily is C.J. Stroud.
C.J. Stroud really made a stand this past season as he took over the Ohio State quarterback job for Justin Fields. Which, quite frankly, were big shoes to fill.
Fields, the 1x BIG-10 champ at Ohio State, really did well in his one and only season there. Furthermore, his reputation as one of the best quarterbacks in college football got him drafted by the Chicago Bears two seasons ago now. Now it’s time for Stroud to take another step up and potentially lead Ohio State to the National Championship.
Looking at Stroud’s numbers over the course of last season, he was able to tally 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and only six interceptions. In that, he was also able to keep up a astounding 71.9 completion percentage. Within those stats, you’re told everything you need to know.
Player Breakdown
C.J. Stroud is an incredibly accurate quarterback who displays every tool it’ll take to get to the next level. I know that isn’t exactly a revolutionary statement- but it’s the best statement I got revolving his game.
Stroud is a very talented athlete, but more importantly, he is a very talented quarterback. He displays very inconsistent footwork, but when he has the time to drop back, he generally take a solid 3-to-5 step drop back.
When it comes to his accuracy, he is one of the best in college football. Against the best college athlete’s in the world, he was able to successfully put up a 71.9% completion percentage. In my eyes, that’s worth noting. Not to mention the fact that he only threw for six interceptions.
When displaying arm strength, he seems to float the ball more than really letting it rip. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t work- but his arm strength reminds me a lot like former Ohio State quarterback- Dwayne Haskins.
Haskins was able to push the ball downfield, but he didn’t have the zip. Same goes for Stroud. Now, I will say that he may have the arm strength to really let it go, but I didn’t see much of it on film.
What Would the Texans Get in Bryce Young?
The Houston Texans are currently hosting the second overall pick per NFL prediction. That would put the Texans in an ideal spot to either take Will Anderson Jr., pass rusher from Alabama. Or they could take one of either C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young.
Stroud is known for his accuracy, Young is known for his athleticism. Is either one wrong? No. But, what makes them so special is going to be the difference in who gets selected first.
This past season Young not only played well but he also performed well in terms of statistics. In his 15 games played for Alabama this past season, he threw for 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. On top of that he has a 66.9% completion percentage.
We just got done talking about Stroud and what he offers the Texans in terms of talent but now it’s time to look at Bryce Young to determine his value and how he could do in the Texans organization.
Player Breakdown
Bryce Young is one of the players in this upcoming draft class that you feel can turnaround an organization. I mean, despite being severely undersized at the quarterback position, he made a stance as one of the best in college. Furthermore, he also won the heisman trophy this season.
Young is an very athletic quarterback who was sought after as a five-star recruit in high school. He ended up committing to Alabama in which he took over the starting job this past season. After watching him play this past season, there were a lot of things I liked about his game. But, there were some concerns I had as well.
For the good, he was a very talented mechanic. When he gets the ball under center, he was able to show pretty good footwork on a five step drop. More than likely looking for a lane to open up. Given his height, he needs lane’s in order to get it over the offensive line. That is when he is in the pocket.
Young, when there was nothing in the pocket, did a very good job about moving outside the pocket to extend the play. In addition to that, I want to emphasize that he didn’t always move outside the pocket. He also showed great poise for a person of his size.
He had great pocket manipulation and found a way to create time for himself by using the gaps in the pocket.
When it came to his passing, there were a couple concerns that I had. However, I suspect it was a lot like the Sam Howell, Justin Herbert situations. There were a lot of times that he would force the ball to Jameson Williams when there were better options available on the field. But as I said, that could’ve just been a busted play call. But if they weren’t, then that’s something I will look for this season.
When it came to his arm strength, he had a much better arm than C.J. Stroud. He was able to really let the ball go downfield and make some great throws to Jameson Williams and John Metchie III throughout the season.
Who Fits the Texans Best?
The Houston Texans organization is a catastrophe right now. Between the Deshaun Watson case, and the fact that they just don’t have a very complete roster, it’s hard to find the motivation to root for this team. The only thing you can do to maintain faith in the organization is to plan ahead.
They drafted a lot of very talented players in this past NFL draft between Derek Stingley, Kenyon Green, Christian Harris, and Jalen Pitre.
Now, I know I’m forgetting a player and that’s because his name is about to be mentioned.
I’m a big believer in chemistry between a quarterback and a wide receiver and in this case- there is already some chemistry there if they select Bryce Young.
The Houston Texans selected wide receiver, John Metchie III in the second-round of the 2022 NFL draft. In doing so, they have gauged the audience to their future. Because, for people who don’t know, Bryce Young and John Metchie III played together this past season at Alabama. I feel for that reason, adding Bryce Young to the roster would be the right move.