What Happens If Texans Miss Out On Drafting QB Bryce Young?

The Houston Texans have long been connected with Alabama quarterback Bryce Young in the 2023 NFL Draft, but what happens if he goes No. 1?

The Houston Texans are in need of a new future at the quarterback position, and Alabama Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young seems to be the odds-on favorite to fill that role.

However, there are scenarios in which the Texans, who currently hold the No. 2 overall pick in this spring's 2023 NFL Draft, miss out on Young.

One scenario, which was presented by Pro Football Focus, comes by way of trade, with the Indianapolis Colts leapfrogging the Texans via a swap with the Bears, and drafting young No. 1 overall, leaving Houston with a quandary on its hands.

As of now, it is unclear how the Texans' big board sits, and that will likely depend on the new head coach and his new staff to decide.

But according to PFF, were the Colts to take Young No. 1, the Texans would look in the direction of rifle-armed Kentucky quarterback Will Levis.

Levis isn’t at all a bad consolation prize for the Texans. He’s already shown he can operate an NFL offense with two different offensive coordinators who have done the same in the league. Levis possesses elite physical tools with a laser of a right arm paired with an exceptionally quick release. He’s proven able to operate from tight pockets and under pressure. He averaged 9.2 yards per attempt on 82 pass attempts under pressure in 2022.

From there, PFF has the Texans, who would still be in need of a true No. 1 wideout, especially in the event that Brandin Cooks moves on, taking the name that many believe to be the top pass catcher in the entire draft - TCU wide receiver, Quenton Johnston.

The Texans give their newly minted quarterback a receiver with a massive catch radius that’s easy to build rapport with. Johnston has 59 catches for 1,064 yards with six scores and 18 broken tackles this season, prior to the national championship game. He’s a unique big-play threat for a 6-foot-4, 215-pounder, as he’s averaged 18.9 yards per reception in his career.

Obviously, hypothetical draft trades are extremely difficult to predict, and oftentimes never come to fruition. 

But if the Texans do miss out on the opportunity to draft Young as its new quarterback of the future, the combination of Levis and Johnston would certainly be an intriguing consolation prize. 

And perhaps, one with an even greater upside. 

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