Heading into the 2023 offseason, a new coaching staff in Houston knew that bringing a franchise quarterback into the fold would be paramount to the franchise's long-term success, and armed with the 2nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Texans would have their opportunity to fill that void right away. With Alabama's Bryce Young the expected #1 overall pick, the Texans set their sights on CJ Stroud, the prolific quarterback of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
But while doing their due diligence throughout the pre-Draft process, the Texans brought in one of Young's teammates at Alabama for a visit. Will Anderson Jr. had not only the tape, but the accolades of a once in a generation prospect... a two-time consensus All-American, two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and the winner of every defensive award you could conceive of -- the Lott Award, the Bednarik Award, the Nagurski Award, etc. -- this was the kind of player who could alter the trajectory of a franchise in a way that very few non-quarterbacks could.
The issue here though was that Stroud was too good to pass on, especially in a league where having a franchise quarterback is practically a pre-requisite for postseason success. That didn't stop the Texans from welcoming Anderson into their building, which created a somewhat unforeseen 'problem.'
How could the Texans possibly pass on the opportunity to select a prospect like Will Anderson?
"I'm sitting here with the overwhelming feeling like, what are we doing," Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke told ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime of his feelings after meeting with Anderson for the first time. "I mean every question was just spot-on. When he left for the day, he just confirmed everything I already thought."
Now, the Texans found themselves in a pickle, but not one they couldn't get out of. On draft night, the Texans predictably used the 2nd overall pick to select Stroud, snagging the guy who could be their franchise quarterback and cornerstone for the next decade and a half. But then the Texans made a move that would alter the fate of the franchise just as much as the selection of Stroud did.
Packaging the 12th overall pick, plus a 2024 1st Round pick and multiple other draft picks, the Texans moved up to 3rd overall and selected Will Anderson Jr. Nine months later, Stroud and Anderson would win Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year respectively, and the Texans would never look back.
"I knew we had to get a dynamic edge point," DeMeco Ryans added. "That's why it was so important to get Will Anderson. If you want to play coverage how we play, you have to be able to speed the quarterback up. You speed it up with the rusher."
The fact that Anderson ended up in Houston was a surprise to the two-time Pro Bowler who has emerged as the leader of the NFL's best defense.
"I didn't think I was going to be here at all," Anderson told ESPN. "I know they needed a quarterback. So obviously CJ was available."
But Anderson was available too, and in the end, the Texans had to find a way to get them both.