The Houston Texans have the second and twelfth picks in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They just hired their third coach in three years, bringing in former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator and Houston Texan himself, DeMeco Ryans.
We can look at past drafts from the general manager Nick Caserio for potential trends; however, we have nothing to go off of with HC Ryans. With Ryans being a defensive mind and coming from the 49ers, one of the top-flight defenses in the league, it's possible they lean heavily toward defense.
That said, this team has more needs than just defense but the team has done a solid job thus far adding some potential key pieces through free agency. Such as linebackers Denzel Perryman and Cory Littleton, while also adding some talent on the defensive line with Sheldon Rankins. You can add safety, Jimmie Ward, to this list as well, among others. Solid additions to the defense.
On the offensive side, the Texans added running back Devin Singletary, wide receiver Robert Woods, and tight end Dalton Schultz, three great additions, that will provide solid weapons for whoever the quarterback is. They also added some guys up front to the offensive line with center Michael Deiter and Shaq Mason.
There has been a lot of speculation about the second overall pick and what the Texans might do here. Regardless of the recent reports that Will Levis is now the odds-on favorite to be the number two overall pick, I'm not buying it but I also don't buy into C.J. Stroud being the pick either. So, with that, let's get into my seven-round NFL mock draft.
With the second pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Anthony Richardson
The Houston Texans will likely go quarterback here, despite rumors of possibly Will Anderson. The Texans have a need at quarterback and in this league, you just keep swinging for the fences at the quarterback position until you hit one out of the park.
There is little doubt that Richardson is the most athletic of all the quarterbacks in the NFL draft and is considered to have the strongest arm too. Many question his accuracy and ability to play at this level though, which sounds an awful lot like another player that was equally divisive in the 2018 NFL Draft, Josh Allen.
I’m not going to sit here and say that Richardson is the next Josh Allen, but the Texans will try to do what Coach McDermott and OC Brian Daboll did for Allen. If they can, they’ll have themselves a phenomenal franchise quarterback. If they can’t, it’ll probably cost Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio their jobs.
Richardson’s final season with the Florida Gators left a lot to be desired in terms of production, amassing only 2,553 yards and 17 touchdowns; however, he added an impressive 713 yards on the ground on just 97 runs.
With the 12th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Paris Johnson Jr.
Paris Johnson Jr. started at guard as a sophomore for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he did not allow a single sack. He would make the move to left tackle his junior season in 2022, giving up only two sacks on the year. The Texans have their rookie signal caller in Richardson after selecting him with the second overall pick and will want to be sure to protect him going forward.
Johnson Jr. was a five-star recruit coming out of high school but only played 26 total snaps for the Buckeyes as a freshman. This may give some concern, having only one season under his belt as a tackle but he fits the physical mold, 6’6″ and 313 pounds, more so than Skoronski, to play the tackle position.
There is no question that Johnson Jr. has the measurables to succeed in the NFL and at 6’6″, has plenty of frame to add a little more bulk. He’ll need some coaching to continue developing his game at the next level and his intelligence is an asset, as well as his attitude and demeanor. He’s viewed as a very coachable player and showed that through continued growth at the collegiate level.
The one area of his game that will need more improvement is his pass blocking. He’s a dominant run blocker and has the skills and traits to develop into an equally dominant pass protector.
With the 33rd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Zay Flowers
Zay Flowers is only 5’9″ and weighs 182 pounds but is an electric athlete, who can do very well for himself in the NFL as a slot receiver. The Texans continue to build their offense, first with a new quarterback, followed by a lineman to protect the rookie and now they add a weapon in the wide receiver room. Flowers would make a great addition for the Texans in the slot.
Flowers recorded a 40-time of 4.42 at the combine and the athletic scores were solid but nothing eye-popping. Next Gen Stats gave him an overall athletic score of 76, ranking him 21st among all wide receivers from the NFL Combine.
Flowers was incredibly productive for Boston College, where he played in a whopping 47 games. He produced 29 career touchdowns on 192 receptions, with 2,999 yards. Flowers set Boston College receiving records for both single season (12) and career touchdown numbers and tied the record for receptions in a season with 78 catches his senior year.
Flowers calling card is his ability with the ball after the catch. He has tremendous start-and-stop ability and can make would-be tacklers miss in the open field. Shows off incredible shiftiness and change of direction skills as well.
With the 65th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Jack Campbell
Campbell is 6’4″ and weighs 249 pounds, he is more of that traditional NFL linebacker that brings an aggressiveness with him every time he goes in for a tackle but can still cover some ground with a solid 4.65 in the 40. NFLDraftBuzz.com has him projected in the third round; however, several mock drafts as of late have him going in the second round.
In Campbell’s senior year, he allowed a quarterback rating of 70.6 when targeted. He tallied 77 tackles for the Hawkeyes in 2022, with 47 stops.
He was the 2022 Dick Butkus Award winner, which goes to the nation’s top linebacker. Here is a list of some of the previous winners, Roquan Smith, Devin White, Isaiah Simmons, Nakobe Dean, Luke Kuechly, someone McDermott is very familiar with, and Von Miller. The award certainly doesn’t guarantee NFL success, but it’s a good start.
Campbell also won the 2022 William V. Campbell trophy, which is awarded to the NCAA player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance.
With the 73rd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Cody Mauch
Mauch is 6’6” and weighs 305 pounds and is possibly the most versatile lineman in the draft. During the Senior Bowl, he lined up at all five positions along the offense line, which is something NFL coaches love.
Mauch is a fifth-year senior, who played in 58 games, logging 2,276 snaps. He’s listed as a tackle but projects better as a guard. Just about all the scouting reports I researched, mention two significant concerns with his game. He struggles to keep defenders away from his body, which causes issues with speed to power and bull rushes. The other is his hand placement gets him in trouble, particularly leading to holding calls.
Still, he has upside, while limited, he can be a solid lineman in this league and with development and coaching, could translate very well overall to the NFL. He also brings some nasty to the line, which is a plus for any lineman.
I've seen several mock drafts with Mauch going in the second round, but I've also seen some with him as late as the fourth, so it's a possibility he's available here and if so, would be a nice addition to the Texans offensive line.
With the 104th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select DJ Johnson
The first thing that pops off the page with Johnson is his 40-time of 4.49. He is 6'4" and weighs 260 pounds, so when combined with that speed, is truly impressive. He performed well at the NFL Combine and has the physical talents to succeed in the NFL with appropriate development.
The Texans will be looking to bolster their pass rush in the 2023 season and Johnson is a guy that just might fit that role. Some areas of his game will need to be developed; however, as previously mentioned, he has the physical skills to play at the next level.
The strength in his game is literally his physical strength where he'll be able to overpower some linemen but will need to learn some counter moves to go with his bull rush. While his power is strength, his lack of experience is a strike against him, and he'll likely need time to develop his overall game.
He played in 34 games with the Oregon Ducks; however, only totaled 759 snaps throughout his collegiate career. It wasn't until his senior year that he saw significant snaps with 439. He totaled 28 pressures, with 21 quarterback hurries and five sacks.
With the 161st pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Jakorian Bennett
Derek Stingley Jr. was drafted third overall in the 2022 NFL Draft but struggled through his rookie season. PFF graded him out with a rating of 49.1. He was targeted 49 times a season ago, allowing 33 receptions. I'm sure the team is not ready to move on from Stingley, but it wouldn't hurt for the Texans to go ahead and draft another corner and someone like Jakorian Bennett would be a solid addition.
The Texans signed Jimmie Ward to a free agent deal, who will likely start opposite Stingley Jr; however, outside of Stingley, the next youngest corner is 27 years old. They need to add some youth and depth and Bennett provides just that.
Bennett recorded an incredible forty-time of 4.3 seconds, the second-fastest time at the NFL Combine and when you have that kind of speed, NFL teams will give you a shot. Not to mention his overall athleticism according to Next Gen Stats was an amazing score of 96, third best among all corners attending the combine.
Bennett was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention during both his junior and senior years at Maryland. In his junior year, he was tops among all Power-5 schools with 16 passes defended. Bennett is not without his shortcomings as he seems to struggle with maintaining consistency in both zone and man coverage. But he has all the physical skills to develop into a starting caliber corner.
With the 188th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Payne Durham
Payne Durham is a big dude, standing at 6'6" and weighing 253 pounds. He is a more than capable blocker, though could add some upper body strength but handle the players at the NFL level. The Texans just signed Dalton Schultz to a free agent deal; however, it was only a one-year contract, so no guarantees he returns for the 2024 season.
Adding Payne to the mix gives the Texans someone that can contribute in the blocking game right away and has the potential to grow into a decent pass-catching tight end in the NFL. Schultz would make for a great mentor as well.
Durham ran a 4.87 second 40-time at the combine and while he's not going to stretch defenses downfield, he's got enough speed to make an impact. Next Gen Stats gave him a 64 athleticism rating, 14th best among the tight ends that attended the NFL combine.
One thing that sticks out with Durham is his lack of experience not just as a tight end but in football. He didn't start playing until his senior year of high school, where he was a lacrosse player initially. He made the move to football and was an all-region selection. He would go on to sign with Purdue and continued to improve each year. In his senior year, he recorded 56 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns.
With the 201st pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Dante Stills
Dante Still is a bit undersized by NFL standards for a defensive tackle, standing at 6'3" but weighing only 286 pounds; however, he is an above-average athlete, particularly for a man his size. At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40 in 4.85 and Next Gen Stats gave him an athleticism rating of 74, eighth best among all defensive tackles at the combine.
Stills athleticism could find him on a roster as a solid rotational piece to a defensive line, while lacking the physical traits to be a true three-technique player, he does possess the ability to provide a decent rush up the middle and can be a handful if used properly.
He also has NFL bloodlines; his father Gary Stills was a third-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1999. He carved out a solid ten-year NFL career.
Stills played in 59 collegiate games, racking up 2,376 snaps, and played all positions up and down the defensive line. He not only brings athleticism to the field but a ton of experience and versatility. He played five seasons at West Virginia and recorded a solid 23 sacks during his career.
With the 203rd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Juice Scruggs
Juice Scruggs performed very well at the NFL Combine, ranking fifth overall among centers with a Next Gen Stats athleticism score of 71 overall. He brings power to the position and possesses the flexibility to play either guard or center but more suited for the center position.
He can be beaten with the quick inside rushes, which is why he's better off at the center position. He does a good job of holding his position on the line but isn't seen necessarily as a road grader. Regardless, some scouts see him with the potential to be a solid starter, though not elite, along the offensive line. At pick 203, this could be a steal.
Scruggs didn't play much as a freshman at Penn State, logging only three snaps; however, his sophomore year, he saw the field a bit more, getting in on 166 total snaps, and giving up zero sacks as well. It was his junior and senior year when he was a full-time starter on the Penn State offensive line, totaling over 1,700 snaps in 25 games.
He played mostly at guard during his junior season and almost exclusively center during his senior year. Throughout those two seasons, he allowed 26 quarterback hurries, seven QB hits, and three sacks.
With the 230th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Malik Cunningham
At this point in the draft, it's pretty much dart throws but Malik Cunningham was incredibly productive as a dual-threat quarterback at Louisville. With the 230th pick, why not take a shot and roll the dice here with Cunningham, maybe you hit a homerun but if not, no real risk with this pick.
Cunningham is one of the best athletes at the quarterback position in this year's draft. Next Gen Stats scored him an athleticism rating of 89 overall, third best among the quarterbacks. With a4.53 forty-time, he's also one of the faster QBs in the class.
His production as a passer is certainly something short of what you would want from your passer but perhaps he can develop that aspect of his game, often times at the collegiate level, coaches utilize what a player is good at, and build their offense around that, and development of their skills are not part of the plan.
In 2021, Cunningham threw for 2,941 yards and 19 touchdowns, with only six interceptions. He also added another FBS-leading 1,031 yards on the ground and another 20 touchdowns. He broke Lamar Jackson's school record, accounting for 120 career touchdowns.
With the 259th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Karl Brooks
If you read up on Karl Brooks' scouting report, you come away rather impressed. He possesses a lot of traits that could translate very well to the NFL, despite coming from a smaller school in Bowling Green against lesser competition.
The Texans will have the honor of selecting 2023's Mr. Irrelevant; however, if that guy is Karl Brooks, the Texans could have another draft steal. He brings a bit more size than Dante Stills, at 303 pounds and like Stills has a ton of versatility, playing all over the defensive line.
When we look at Brooks' collegiate numbers, it shows he was clearly the dominant player on the field, as the production was through the roof. He played five seasons with Bowling Green, totaling 51 games and 2,396 career snaps. Even as a freshman, he logged 497 snaps, producing 16 total QB pressures.
As a fifth-year senior, Brooks had 32 tackles, with 36 total stops. Has a pass rusher, he added a crazy 60 quarterback pressures, including 43 QB hurries and 12 sacks. As I mentioned earlier, the level of competition wasn't exactly the SEC; however, he was dominant against the teams he did face, which is what you look for when scouting players from smaller schools.