Top 5 bold predictions for the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft

When it comes to the NFL Draft, you would always expect the unexpected, and its 2023 version won't be any different. Prospects projected to go in the first round will slide to the second and clubs will swoop in out of nowhere to take "their guy". Armed with nine selections, the Houston Texans could throw a curveball or two and disrupt other teams' plans.

With that in mind, here are five bold predictions for the Texans in this year's draft.

5. The Houston Texans will pick CJ Stroud at No. 2 in the 2023 NFL Draft

Saying Houston needs a quarterback is an understatement. Ever since their relationship with Deshaun Watson went sour, they have struggled to find a long-term answer at the position. Fortunately for them, the Texans hold the second overall selection in the draft, so they'll be in a position to take either Alabama's Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud.

While both of them have a unique skill set and their own set of pros and cons, there are several reasons why Stroud more makes sense for the Texans than Young. The fact that the Carolina Panthers have seemingly set their sights on Young, would make it possible for Stroud to fall to Houston.

Peter King of NBC Sports said in his Morning Football In America Football column that all signs point towards the Panthers taking Young with the top overall selection in the player selection meeting, "the momentum toward Young is real". If that's indeed the case, you should feel comfortable ordering your Texans/Stroud jersey knowing there's a 99 percent chance he'll be there at pick No. 2.

4. The Houston Texans will trade down from No. 12

Quarterback isn't the only need the Texans must address in the draft. Heck, you could make the case that all their position groups on both sides of the ball could use a boost. How they decide to use their draft picks will be a topic of debate over the next two weeks but one path they can take with their second first-round selection, the 12th overall, is to trade down, hoard extra picks and still nab a difference-maker.

Houston could make upgrades to their wide receiver corps or they could fortify their defensive front. Similarly, their cornerback room could use some upgrades and even if they moved down a few spots in the first round, the front office would be in a position to take a player who could have an immediate impact.

For the sake of argument, let's say the Texans engineer a trade with either the Seattle Seahawks (20th overall) or the Los Angeles Chargers (21st overall). They could still call dibs on one of the top tight end prospects in the class, such as Luke Musgrave or Michael Mayer.

But if general manager Nick Caserio opts to take the cornerback route, he could have a shot at landing South Carolina's Cam Smith, Georgia's Keele Ringo, or maybe even Joey Porter Jr. Either way, it would make sense for Houston to trade down and potentially get an extra second or third-round pick in next year's player selection meeting.

3. The Houston Texans will double dip at CB in the 2023 NFL Draft

You can never have too many cornerbacks due to the emphasis teams have put on throwing the ball in today's NFL. This is why the Texans' brass drafted Derek Stingley Jr. third overall last year and signed Tevierre Thomas in free agency. However, their secondary could still use a couple more cornerbacks.

After all, both Stingley and Thomas have missed significant time with injuries throughout their respective careers and Houston is better off having some form of insurance in case either one has to sit out a few games in 2023. So even if they take a cornerback in the first round, they should take another one at No. 33.

As noted before, the Texans would be in a favorable position to take one of the top cornerback prospects in the draft even if they traded down to the early 20s. 13 picks later, they could still land someone like Marylands' Deonte Banks or Texas A&M Antonio Johnson, who can line up at nickel, safety, and linebacker.

Given how many holes the Texans have on defense, double dipping at cornerback seems like a smart move. An alternative would be to bolster their defensive front but it doesn't currently require as much attention as the secondary, so the trenches could wait one year to get reinforcements.

2. The Houston Texans will draft a tight end in Round 3 of the draft

Dalton Schultz was arguably the Texans' biggest signing in free agency and they didn't have to overpay to land the former Dallas Cowboys, which makes his acquisition look even better. Although he's coming off a somewhat underwhelming season, Schultz was part of a crowded Cowboys offense there were only so many targets he could get playing alongside CeeDee Lamb, Noah Brown, and Michael Gallop.

Even though Schultz will still have to share targets with Brown, who also joined Houston in free agency, he should be one of the top targets on the Texans' offense in 2023. However, the top brass needs to bolster the depth in their tight end unit.

Other tight ends currently on Houston's roster include Teagan Quitoriano, Brevin Jordan, and Mason Schreck. The three of them combined for 23 catches for 241 yards with two touchdowns last season, it's clear the Texans need better production from the position but none of the alternatives behind Schultz seem particularly appealing, which is why Nick Caserio will take a tight end in the third round of the draft.

Even if Houston waits until the third round to select a tight end, they will have a couple of enticing options, including Sam LaPorta and Tucker Kraft. Both prospects could use some time to work and perfect their craft (no pun intended) but either one could learn the ropes behind Schultz, so neither one would be pressed into action right off the bat.

All things considered, there's no better way to invest a third-round pick than taking a player that could develop into an impact starter. For this reason, the Texans will go with either Kraft or LaPorta in the third round.

1. The Houston Texans will wait until Day 3 to draft a receiver

The Texans have taken several steps in the right direction this offseason, having made several signings that should have a huge impact in 2023. However, there's plenty of work left to do when you consider how little talent the roster had as recently as 2020. The silver lining is that the Texans can keep loading up on playmakers in the draft. Conversely, they might not address all the needs they can, which is why some position groups won't get the help they need.

For example, the Texans wide receivers corps could still use a No. 1 receiver but won't get it this year. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. As Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy noted, via Don Klievan, multiple scouts believe Jaxson Smith-Njigba is the only receiver in this class that has a first-round grade.

Although the draft is an inexact science and requires a lot of guesswork, Nagy has plenty of experience when it comes to assessing talent, having previously worked for several NFL teams. There could always be a handful of hidden gems but the Texans are better off waiting until the fifth or sixth round to round out a wide receiver corps that currently includes Robert Woods, Noah Brown, and Nico Collins, who had a promising rookie season in 2021.

The Texans won't likely find a starting wide receiver on Day 3 of the draft but they could certainly add depth to the position, so don't be surprised if they target someone like Cincinnati's Tre Tucker or Purdue's Charlie Jones in the last rounds of the draft.