Raiders QB Derek Carr Was 'Heartbroken' When Texans Didn't Draft Him
From their first season in 2002, the Houston Texans enjoyed over a decade of stable quarterback play to begin their existence as a franchise.
David Carr was the quarterback in their initial season, from 2002-2006, and was followed by Matt Schaub who led the Texans' offense from 2007-2013. However, it wasn't until Deshaun Watson was drafted in 2017 that they would see another franchise-caliber quarterback, and eventually, Watson was ... well, you know the story.
If we take a trip back in time though, though, there was a quarterback the Texans could have drafted in the 2014 draft. In fact, that quarterback wanted them to draft him and was heartbroken when they didn't.
The quarterback? David Carr's brother Derek Carr, who was drafted by the then-Oakland Raiders out of Fresno State.
“When I was getting drafted, I wanted to go there,” Carr said. “They didn’t pick me first [overall], but 33rd? I was like, ‘Maybe 33rd?’ They didn’t want me so I was kind of a little heartbroken over that. But it is what it is."
"Nine years down the road, some of those feelings have gone away, you know? But I have the utmost respect for that organization just because of the way they treated my family.”
The Texans, who had a need at quarterback, decided to pass on Carr twice and the rest is history. Had Carr been drafted by Houston in 2014, it is interesting to wonder how different the AFC and the NFL, in general, would have been.
With Carr in Houston, the Texans likely don't take Deshaun Watson. Maybe with Carr, the Texans become a perennial playoff contender sooner, as he would have been working with receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Now, however, it is all a moot point. Carr is the franchise quarterback of the Raiders, and the jury is still out on if Davis Mills is the guy for Houston or if come next season, a new quarterback will be under center.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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