Top 5 players the Houston Texans should completely avoid in the 2023 NFL Draft

1. Houston Texans must avoid in the NFL Draft: Hendon Hooker

Houston can't keep waiting to search for a potential franchise quarterback and they'll have the opportunity to select either C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young with the second overall pick. Although neither passer is perfect, they both have attributes that will get them drafted in the top 10. Stroud might the better of the two and should be the Texans' pick if he's available at No. 2.

On the off chance the team's brass opts to pass on both Stroud and Young, they would probably still be in a position to take Anthony Richardson, Wil Levi, and Hendon Hooker. The three of them have a favorable chance to be picked in the first round but Houston should avoid Hooker altogether.

Hooker showed potential at Tennessee, posting a quarterback rating of 124.6 and throwing for 3,135 yards with 32 touchdowns and just two interceptions last season. However, the Volunteers' offense was rather simple and would need time to learn to grasp and operate a way more complex scheme in the NFL. Similarly, he tore his ACL last year and will be a 25-year-old rookie.

The talent is there. Hooker has superb arm strength, the athleticism to move around the pocket to avoid pressure, and polished mechanics. Nevertheless, the North Carolina native is entering the NFL with plenty of questions, which is why it may not be wise to invest a first-round pick in him.