NFL Draft: Texans Shake Up First-Round Mock by Trading Pick No. 2

Getting down to the last week before the NFL Draft commences, and we know even less about what the Houston Texans might do than we did one month ago.

If it's Alabama quarterback Bryce Young or bust for the Houston Texans at pick No. 2, then many people seem to believe it'll be bust. 

The Texans are apparently so enamored with Young they simply can't see themselves taking any quarterback but him with the second overall pick, so if the Carolina Panthers steal their man, the team is likely to do just about anything. 

And anything includes drafting Alabama edge defender Will Anderson Jr. or trading out of the second pick altogether as Pro Football Focus predicts in its latest mock simulation.

"If the Texans already have their eyes on next year's quarterback class it may not take much draft capital to move up," says PFF.com when simulating a trade between Houston and the Detroit Lions who then select Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud. 

This mock doesn't dive into the trade details as the site is absolved of responsibility for the exchange since it's a first-round mock only, but the difference in moving from Houston's spot to Detroit's is equivalent to the 16th overall pick. 

So the Texans will get a nice return, regardless of their quarterback intentions this year.

With the sixth overall pick, Houston doesn't veer off the Young or defender option course and selects Texas Tech edge defender Tyree Wilson.

"The Texans have needs everywhere and especially along their defensive line," says PFF. "Wilson Is a versatile and uniquely tooled edge-rusher who can be a cornerstone type piece for DeMeco Ryans defense."

Of course, PFF wasn't done with the Texans who also hold the 12th overall pick. 

Typically, with Houston selecting a quarterback at No. 2 a receiver has been the popular position to target here, and PFF doesn't go away from that by sending Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba to the team. 

"The Texans may not have the quarterback yet, but now, they'll have a nice bevy of weapons for whoever becomes the guy in Houston," PFF says. "Smith-Njigba is a high-floor slot who can be a focal point of an offense."

Additional draft capital, a premiere edge defender, and perhaps the class' best receiver. Not a bad haul, but also is not a quarterback. 

Taking the route of building a team to later insert a quarterback into won't be the sexiest result in the 2023 NFL Draft, but if the Texans get solid talent here then it'll make the selection of a new quarterback even better down the road.

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Find David on Twitter @DHarrison82

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