The Houston Texans drafted wide receiver John Metchie III with the 44th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft hoping he would make a huge impact on their team. After missing his entire rookie season following a leukemia diagnosis, Metchie is moving closer toward playing in the NFL.
Metchie, a former standout for the Alabama Crimson Tide, was one of the best wide receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft class. Standing at 5-foot-11, he served as a slot receiver for the Crimson Tide and was on pace to be a potential first-round pick.
- John Metchie college stats (2021): 96 receptions, 1,142 receiving yards
He was one of the most productive wide receivers in college football during the 2021 season. He finished 21st in receiving yards and eighth in receptions, earning second-team All-SEC honors. However, Metchie suffered an ACL tear in the SEC Championship Game, ruling him out for the College Football Playoffs and impacting his draft stock.
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Houston took its chance on Metchie early in the second round, drafting him ahead of healthy wide receivers like George Pickens, Alec Pierce and Skyy Moore. The Texans anticipated him making a return late in the 2022 season, but those plans changed in July.
Metchie revealed on July 24 that he was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL). The diagnosis meant he would miss his entire rookie season. Fortunately, it was the most “curable form of leukemia” and doctors were optimistic.
Now, nearly nine months after Metchie revealed his leukemia diagnosis, Texans’ head coach DeMeco Ryans announced this week that the second-year receiver is nearing a return to the field.
“Yeah, John is doing fine. We’ll see John get involved with our offseason program. And with John, as with every other player, we’re going to take it one day at a time and see where he can grow and where he can be when the time comes. At the right time, when the season comes, we’ll see where he is.”
Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on wide receiver John Metchie III (H/T Pro Football Talk)
Ryans, hired by Houston in January, also raved about Metchie’s character and noted that the 22-year-old is always around the facility, spending time with people in the organization and bringing positive energy to the team.
The update comes just a few months after general manager Nick Caserio said Metchie could be available at some point for the team’s offseason program. While Houston still intends to take a cautious approach, easing Metchie back into action, the young wide receiver is closing on a return to football.
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As Metchie nears a comeback after battling cancer, the NFL community now hopes to see the same success for Foster Moreau. The former Las Vegas Raiders tight end revealed in March that doctors discovered he had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma during a routine physical with the New Orleans Saints.
The hope will remain that Moreau joins the growing list of NFL players who beat cancer, which includes San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams, former Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry and Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner.