I recently completed a first-round mock draft over on NFL Spin Zone and while it may not surprise anyone that I have a quarterback going to the Texans with their second pick, perhaps the 12th pick is more of a surprise.
The Texans are not just a player or two away from being a playoff team, especially in the loaded AFC but with the second and 12th picks of this draft, they can lay the foundation of what fans hope is a contender in the future. The question is, does head coach DeMeco Ryans look to build up the defense or go with the direction of fellow AFC teams and look to stack the talent on the offensive side of the ball?
I think one thing is very clear, you need a franchise quarterback in this league, so there is little doubt the Texans go quarterback with the second pick of the draft. So what should they do with the 12th pick? Maybe bolster the defense in someway, possibly going defensive line or mabye Ryans wants to bring in more offensive talent to help his new rookie quarterback.
I am a big-time proponent of loading up with guys to surround your young quarterback with the talent to help him succeed. We all know what happened to David Carr and it would be very beneficial for Ryans to learn from the past but then again, maybe he is confident in the talent the team has already acquired via free agency, which includes guard Shaq Mason, running back Devin Singletary and wide receiver Robert Woods.
Is that enough to properly support a rookie quarterback? Probably not but with a number of other needs on this roster, offense may not be the direction the team chooses to go. With 12 picks in this draft, they have an opportunity to address many of those as the Texans head into the 2023 season.
Bryce Young - Quarterback - Alabama
Bryce Young is at the top of most analyst’s draft boards but there are still concerns about his size, 5’10” and 204 pounds. It’s very probable, even with those concerns, that he’s the number one overall selection in this NFL draft but I have him going second to the Houston Texans.
Young was very productive in his last two seasons while at Alabama, compiling over 7,800 yards and 77 touchdowns while throwing only 12 interceptions. He’s a former Heisman, Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, and Manning award winner. He’s been voted to multiple All-American teams as well.
The accolades date back to his high school days too. He was voted the MVP of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school.
The Houston Texans currently have Davis Mills sitting at the top of their quarterback depth chart. If the Texans do in fact make Young their top selection, will he start right away? Should they start him right away? I think it will come down to whether he can earn the spot or not.
I don’t think head coach Ryans will simply hand over the reins to Young. I would expect a camp battle between him and Mills. While Young is the more talented player, the experience of Mills could keep Young on the bench, at least during his rookie season, which isn’t a bad thing.
Christian Gonzalez - Corner Back - Oregon
Christian Gonzalez is either the top corner or second only to Devon Witherspoon, depending on who you ask. Either way, both are solid corners and will be day-one starters for their respective NFL teams.
Gonzalez is 6’1″ and weighs around 200 pounds, good size for a corner, plus he brings a 40-time of 4.38 with him. His vertical and broad jump were some of the best at the NFL Combine as well.
Gonzalez began his collegiate career with the Colorado Buffaloes but transferred to Oregon after his sophomore year in 2021. With the Ducks, he played 718 snaps, recording six pass-breakups and four interceptions. Quarterbacks had a QB rating of 74.7 when targeting Gonzalez as well.
Gonzalez was voted to several All-Pac-12 first and second teams and made Bruce Feldman’s Freak List coming in at number 25. Feldman had this to say about Gonzalez:
"Gonzalez wowed the Ducks’ coaches this offseason with this athleticism, hitting 23.3 mph on the GPS, vertical-jumping 42 inches and power-cleaning 325 pounds."Bruce Feldman
The one concern here is that he has only one season at Oregon of elite play. The previous two seasons at Colorado were underwhelming at best but with a new coaching staff at Oregon, they were able to get the best out of him. Is that the corner he can be at the NFL level?