Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio has done an outstanding job in building a strong roster over the course of his five-year career as front office head. He's drafted multiple All-Pros in cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and defensive end Will Anderson Jr., while also signing key free agents like defensive end Danielle Hunter and trading for wide receiver Christian Kirk.
However, one area of weakness in his team building has been that of the offensive line. Since 2022, he's taken one lineman within the first two rounds of each year's draft. In total, he's grabbed four players to help solidify the offense and protect franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Let's examine how each has done in their careers thus far:
2022 (Kenyon Green - Texas A&M)
For the first time during his Texans tenure, Caserio drafted an offensive lineman to develop within the organization. For his first act in 2022, he selected the 6-foot-4, 323 lb Kenyon Green at 15th overall out of Texas A&M. In his final collegiate season, the former Aggie started 12 games at four different positions (all except center) and earned first-team AP All-American and all-conference honors as a result.
Unfortunately, he only lasted 25 games with the franchise, as major injuries and underwhelming play led to his trade to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
2023 (Juice Scruggs - Penn State)
Caserio's next early-round selection came in the form of the 6-foot-3, 310 lb Fredrick "Juice" Scruggs out of Penn State in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2023 draft. He started 26 games in five years as a Nittany Lion, including 13 starts as a team captain and center in 2022.
So far in his career, Scruggs has started only 20 out of 51 possible games. Most of his play time came in 2024, when he started 13 games in the interior to help protect Stroud. Other than that, Scruggs has mostly served as a depth piece.
2024 (Blake Fisher - Notre Dame)
In 2023, Caserio took a third bite at the offensive line apple by drafting the 6-foot-6, 312 lb Blake Fisher in the second round (59th overall) out of Notre Dame. The former Golden Domer was the first true freshman to start at left tackle in Notre Dame's storied history in 2021. He then proceeded to start 25 games at right tackle across 2022 and 2023.
At the professional level, Fisher has started 15 times out of a possible 34. In 2025, Fisher became known for his proficiency as an unofficial tight end, lining up at the spot to help execute jumbo sets in the offense. He also became synonymous with the chronic "illegal shift" and "illegal formation" problem that developed on the offensive line throughout the year (though not all his fault).
Other than being a gadget player, Fisher has functioned as a depth piece in the offensive line group.
2025 (Aireontae Ersery - Minnesota)
In his fourth year as Texans general manager, Caserio finally hit pay-dirt with the selection of the 6-foot-6, 331 lb Aireontae Ersery in the second round (48th overall) out of Minnesota. Caserio traded the 58th (second rounder) and 99th picks (fourth rounder) to the Las Vegas Raiders to grab Ersery at the spot.
The former Golden Gopher started his final 38 collegiate games at left tackle, was a team captain and even won the Big 10's Offensive Lineman of the Year award in 2024.
After an injury to free agent acquisition tackle Cam Robinson, Ersery was inserted into the starting lineup to help fortify the line in his absence. The team never looked back.
Ersery virtually started every game this regular season at left tackle (16 games), and performed admirably for the campaign. He is inarguably the most successful high-round draft choice of Caserio's tenure in Houston.
In all, Caserio has a 25% (1/4) hit rate over his last four seasons with identifying and selecting effective offensive line prospects in early rounds. It has led to an urgent need heading into 2026, as aspirations for a Super Bowl are building in the city of Houston. If he can add more pieces to the unit and truly create a dominant offensive front, Houston may finally be able to reach heights never seen before in Texans history.