Texans Pick Star Duo in Todd McShay ESPN NFL Mock Draft

In Todd McShay's latest mock draft, the Houston Texans go a controversial route with one of their picks

Who do the Houston Texans want to draft with the No. 2 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft?

We may never know who the real first and second options on the Texans' big board are, but the Texans are widely expected to go with a quarterback with their first pick.

And in his latest mock draft, ESPN has the Texans doing just that, picking Ohio State Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud at No. 2

Houston still has a lot of homework to do on the quarterbacks, and we aren't sure how its internal board sets up, but the projected Colts-Bears trade might not ruin its first night of the draft. Stroud could be the Texans' answer after they turned in the league's worst QBR last season (26.0). He threw 41 touchdown passes in 2022 and ended his college career with perhaps his best game. Stroud has terrific touch and can make all of the NFL-level throws, and we saw it again on Saturday when he put together an outstanding throwing session at the combine.

We agree with ESPN here, that the Texans need to find the quarterback to hitch their future to, even with a defensive head coach. 

And if the NFL Scouting Combine is any indication, Stroud looks to be the best of the bunch.

If they want that quarterback to be Alabama Crimson Tide prospect Bryce Young, well, then they're going to dislike the fact this mock has the Indianapolis Colts trading up with the Chicago Bears to take him with the first overall selection. 

As for that second Houston pick in the first round - by way of the trade with the Cleveland Browns last offseason - they add another popular, albeit controversial name, this time on the defense side of the ball, in Georgia defensive Tackle, Jalen Carter.

I'll start by stressing that Carter's draft range is an unknown right now. He was arrested last week on

charges of reckless driving and racing

in connection with a crash that killed a Bulldogs teammate and a recruiting staff member, and teams are doing their due diligence as they sort through the situation. No one I've spoken to around the league knows how it will impact his stock or what comes next. It's likely Carter will fall a bit, but we don't know how far -- so take this projection with that context.

As for the fit, drafting a wide receiver would obviously be tempting, but Houston is only on offense for half the game and has some issues on defense, too. It gave up 5.1 yards per rush last season (29th) and was middle-of-the-pack in most pass-rush statistics. A top-three prospect in the class on talent alone, Carter plays with power and burst, and he has the traits to emerge as a disruptor on this defensive line.Imagining Johnston on the field with John Metchie, Dameon Pierce, and Stroud is enough to get this franchise re-energized and back on the right path. 

As McShay noted, there is a giant asterisk next to Carter's name being on the board here - or anywhere for that matter - after his recent arrest for reckless driving. 

If his legal problems become more complicated and take a turn for the worse, Carter could see his name plummet out of the draft completely. 

That said, should things resolve on less controversial terms, Carter is without a doubt the top defensive prospect on the board, and quite possibly the most talented overall player in the entire draft. 

Should Carter be cleared, and the Texans manage to secure him at No. 12, it could be a franchise-changing move. 

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