The Houston Texans may not hold the very top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but being in second place isn’t so bad. Especially this year, with three quarterbacks expected to be selected in the top five picks as Houston’s need for a face of the franchise remains as strong as ever.
As general manager Nick Caserio, coach DeMeco Ryans, and the rest of the team’s front office continue to evaluate the top signal-callers in the upcoming draft class, we may have gotten our best peek at what Houston’s mindset is heading into April.
Coach Ryans actually went on record about one of the top QB prospects Carolina, Houston, and Indianapolis are likely considering with their first pick on April 27.
Specifically, Ryans spoke openly about Alabama’s Bryce Young, who managed to lead the Crimson Tide to the CFP National Championship in 2021 while also winning the Heisman Trophy.
“I know there’s a lot of talk about his size, but the guy’s done it at the highest level of college football, and size doesn’t seem to be a problem. I don’t see it as an issue because I watch the tape. You put on the tape, and you see how smart he is – the anticipation, the accuracy, how this guy’s calm in critical moments. When you see those things, size isn’t one of the factors you look at and say, ‘Oh, man, it’s a problem.’ You just look at the track record and see what he’s done in the SEC and how successful he was, and I think he’ll be successful in the NFL as well.”
Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on Bryce Young (H/T Pro Football Talk)
Young checks a lot of boxes for NFL evaluators, but the one perceived knock that scouts can’t avoid mentioning is his less-than-ideal size at just 5-foot-10, far from the target height for an NFL QB, which is usually at least above six feet.
Yet, Young is far from the first sub-six-foot QB to take his talent to the NFL, including Kyler Murray, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. However, these two players don’t have the same skill sets or athletic abilities. Basically, it’s not a direct comparison or model to follow, meaning Young, like everyone else, is on his own.
Based on the word of the Texans’ first-year head coach, Young’s size won’t be a factor when determining whether he’s the right fit. Perhaps the only questions left are whether we believe this is all an elaborate smokescreen or even whether Young will even still be on the draft board after Carolina makes their selection.
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