Bright Side: Nearing Midseason Texans in Line for Two Top NFL Picks
It's hard being a fan of the Houston Texans right now, and difficult for the coaches and players working so hard without seeing results in the win column.
But there's hope on the horizon.
Not only is Houston coach Lovie Smith optimistic about quarterback Davis Mills, but the team also has resources to help build a team around him.
Of course, we're talking about draft picks.
And right now, the Texans have two in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Even better, both of those are currently residing in the first four picks.
The first pick is their own, but the second comes via the Cleveland Browns in the trade that sent quarterback Deshaun Watson north.
Currently, Houston's 1-4-1 record is a tie better than the 1-5 Detroit Lions.
Cleveland, meanwhile, is struggling to get its own footing while waiting for Watson's return from suspension and is 2-5.
Many will look at Houston and expect one of those picks to be spent on a quarterback. Mills is working hard to show the franchise is an unnecessary move.
And from the sounds of his coach, he's doing a solid job thus far, despite the overall record.
"Davis Mills is getting better and better each week," Smith said Monday. "We've seen growth from him. That continues throughout, … We have some issues we need to clean up, but the quarterback position is not it."
The latest Sports Illustrated mock draft has the Texans selecting Alabama edge defender Will Anderson Jr. in lieu of quarterbacks like Bryce Young (Alabama) or Will Levis (Kentucky).
At the time, Cleveland's pick was the 10th overall and with the top four quarterbacks off the board by then, Houston got Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba at that spot.
Many expect that the Browns' pick to be closer to 10th than fourth overall, so this may be a more realistic scenario to consider when looking forward.
And if Mills is really showing his franchise that he isn't the problem, then the draft's top edge rusher and receiver could be calling Houston home as early as April 2023.
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