2. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama I projected a Houston trade up to No. 1 in my previous mock draft, but it seems general manager Nick Caserio and new coach DeMeco Ryans are perfectly OK with staying put and taking a passer here. And really, they could still get their top-rated guy. Throughout the NFL, there is no consensus top quarterback in this class. Some teams like Stroud, some like Young and others have Will Levis (Kentucky) or Anthony Richardson (Florida) atop their boards. This is a fascinating draft, and we're going to have to deal with subterfuge all the way up until April 27. For the Texans, who are in the early stages of a roster reset, they have to get the face of their franchise. Young can be that guy. No, he doesn't have ideal size, and at 5-foot-10, 204 pounds he's going to become the third under-6-foot signal-caller drafted in Round 1. But turn on the tape and watch him maneuver the pocket, find passing lanes and drop dimes all over the field. He's legit. Houston just traded wideout Brandin Cooks, so Young would have similar issues to Stroud in Carolina, but the Texans have another first-rounder (No. 12) to keep building up their roster. 12. Nolan Smith, OLB, Georgia Houston had a rough time on both sides of the ball last season. It ranked 32nd in yards per play on offense (4.8) and 26th in yards per play allowed on defense (5.7). With the Texans' first pick, I projected them to take quarterback Bryce Young, so with this one I'm giving them a quarterback for their defense. People in the league rave about Smith's leadership skills, and he was outstanding at the combine. I named him as one of my risers after he ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at 238 pounds, and this is right in the range in which he could go. Smith, who tore his right pectoral muscle in November and missed the rest of the season, could be a foundational player for coach DeMeco Ryans, who is going to mold this defense in his own image. This pick, by the way, comes from the Deshaun Watson trade, and the Texans also own the Browns' first-rounder in 2024.
This is a stud TE class coming out. I'm pretty sure we'll find a nice TE in the later rounds of the draft.
I put some money down on Bryce being the #1 pick at like +275 a while back to hedge my fragile emotions if the Panthers take him before us. Warming up to CJ though so him plus some cold hard cash would hopefully be a wash it if comes to that.
In most recent years The 2017 draft was the most exciting because the trade came out of nowhere. Critically acclaimed. 2022 was exciting. First time we saw how Nick operated like an arm chair GM which I like. 2023, I'm really hyped for this one. So many players I like in the first 2 rounds that I really don't mind trading back into the 20s. It helps that a bunch of qbs are going to go in the first to push back some playas.
I think Bryce is a little bit better athletically and the way he escapes pressure reminds me of Watson. But I’m good either way. I think Nick and Meco put pieces around for a rookie qb to have early success
I dont have a favorite QB in this draft, other than maybe Bennett in the 6th. I will let you have the last word.
I'l worry about next year when it gets here if I'm blessed to live another year. Nothing is promised in life or in the draft. You try to get the most talented players possible and I happen to like next years QB class better than this years QB class. Lets agree to disagree and move on with your love of midget p*rn.
