Texans Daily

Texans John Metchie III Back at Practice After Battling Leukemia

Metchie missed his entire rookie season as he battled Leukemia, but could be an impact player in 2023.

Tim Kelly

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Nick Caserio and the Houston Texans have five picks in the first 75 selections in this weekend's NFL Draft, leaving them with a chance to put together a historic rookie class in 2023. 

In addition to whoever is ultimately drafted by the Texans, it appears that 2022 second-round pick John Metchie III will make his NFL debut in 2023. After battling Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, Metchie was back on the field with the team for minicamp practice Wednesday. 

In addition to coming back from leukemia, the former Alabama wideout is also continuing to regain strength in his left knee after he tore his ACL in December of 2021. 

After both Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith left for the NFL, Metchie had a breakout 2021 campaign for the Crimson Tide, catching 96 passes for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns. Metchie was a Second-Team All-Pro in his final season at Alabama. 

Still only 22 years old, Metchie should have a bright future ahead of him. And it sounds as though he's already left a strong impression on his new head coach, DeMeco Ryans. 

“Outstanding young man off the field. Great energy. Always around,” Ryans said. “Every time I see him in the building, huge smile on his face. No matter what adversity he’s faced, he’s attacking it with a smile, with the right attitude. It just solidifies the type of person that he is and the type of people and the type of players that we want to add to our team.”

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Tim Kelly
TIM KELLY

Tim Kelly is a contributor to SI's NFL team sites. Additionally, Kelly covers the Philadelphia Phillies as the Editorial Director for PhilliesNation.com. Previously, Kelly has been a producer at SportsRadio 94 WIP and a content producer for Audacy Sports, with written content syndicated to WIP, WFAN, WEEI and some of the biggest sports radio stations in the country. Kelly also has contributed to Bleacher Report, Just Baseball, Sports Talk Philly and Section 215, FanSided's Philadelphia affiliate. Kelly is a 2018 graduate of Bloomsburg University, with a major in Mass Communications and a minor in political science.