Do any previous Texans' rookie classes compare to the 2023 class?

Before the 2023 season began, the Houston Texans along with their fanbase knew that the team was going to need the rookies to step up in a big way for the team to improve their 3-13-1 record from the 2022 season. The 2023 class, led by CJ Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., didn’t just improve the roster, they were key contributors to the biggest turnaround in the NFL. The Texans’ 2023 draft class was so good that they were ranked as the consensus number-one group among all other rookie classes from sites like nfl.com, ESPN, and many other major sports news outlets. 

Outside of Stroud and Anderson, the Texans found a go-to receiver in Tank Dell and other contributors in Juice Scruggs, Jarrett Patterson, Henry To’oto’oo, and Xavier Hutchinson. 
It is still early in their careers but this group of rookies has the potential to be the best draft class in the history of the Texans if they keep improving.

The 2023 class’ impact in year one gave us the idea to look back and analyze if any of Houston’s previous rookie classes had as much of an impact in their first year as the 2023 class did. The short answer is no, none of the previous classes were as good in their first year. That being said, three classes stood out among the rest in terms of early return on investment for the Texans.