Texans New Draft Rumor: Will Anderson at 2, Trade Up for QB Later?

The Houston Texans are open to playing the safer side with the No. 2 overall pick and Alabama linebacker Will Anderson may be their top priority.

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio reportedly feels no pressure to take a quarterback with their No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

NBC Sports is offering insight into the mindset of the Texans' front office and the potential for Caserio to select Alabama edge Will Anderson high ... and then to make the QB move later.

Via Peter King: "I’ve heard this about Houston GM Nick Caserio: Very conservative. If he doesn’t love a quarterback at 2, he’s not going to force it. He’d rather take this year’s sure edge thing Anderson ..."

And then? The speculation would have Houston using its No. 12 overall pick as the central piece to a trade-up to pick a QB.

Anderson dominated college football in his career with the Crimson Tide. Particularly in his 2021 sophomore season, Anderson registered 31 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks -- both of which led the FBS and garnered a fifth-place finish in that year's Heisman voting.

The Texans are coming off of a pedestrian 2022 campaign in the sacks department, ranking No. 19 league wide with 39. Further, they allowed the 10th-worst first-down percentage on the ground at 26.2 percent and were one of only five teams to concede five or more yards per carry to opposing backfields.

Of course, they also suffered from poor QB play, which is why prospects like Bryce Young and CJ Stroud have long been considered in play at No. 2.

From coach DeMeco Ryans stressing the importance of building the offensive and defensive lines to reports on Caserio keeping his options open, a quarterback may have to wait until later in the round to find a home in Houston - but not much later in the event that they trade-up their No. 12 selection for a higher spot.

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