Quarterbacks Carry Houston Texans' First-Round Draft Ranking

Hitting on quarterbacks isn't easy, but the Houston Texans managed to do it twice in a row. Just how much praise has their first-round drafting earned them?

sJan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) drops back to pass / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Drafting a franchise quarterback may be the most proven way to build a championship contender, but swinging for the fences doesn't come without its risk.

Even the most fool-proof prospects taken at the top of the NFL Draft can struggle to find success, and multiple organizations just keep on whiffing.

The Houston Texans, though, have undeniably done well with their last two first-round quarterbacks. Of course, the Deshaun Watson era didn’t pan out as fans (initially) hoped, but after ridding themselves of Watson and his two-dozen accusations, they managed to find yet another franchise quarterback.

sJan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) drops back to pass / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

C.J. Stroud may be the biggest reason why Pro Football Focus ranked the Texans as one of the top-five best-drafting teams of the last decade. 

Stroud won Offensive Rookie of the Year this past season, compiling 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdowns with just five interceptions to his name. Simply put, he was incredible and remained calm and collected during countless close games and a short-lived playoff run.

The last two picks the Texans spent on defense have fared well, too. 

“Will Anderson Jr. also looks like a star after just one season, notching 68 quarterback pressures and 33 defensive stops in his debut campaign,” Sam Monson wrote. “Derek Stingley Jr. from 2022 had a vastly improved sophomore year and looks like a potential star at cornerback.”

Stroud and Anderson – the second and third overall picks in last year’s NFL Draft – have both looked like stars. At perhaps the two most important positions in the game, general manager Nick Caserio has rolled the dice and won big, securing franchise building blocks for years to come.

Development for later-round draft picks may prove to be the difference in surrounding the pillars of potential Houston has acquired, but anything like what the Texans saw this past season could loom large.

Houston benefited from having picks at the top of the draft, something they won’t have the benefit of doing this year. With Stroud under center, it may be a long while before the Texans take another blue-chip prospect. Even so, they deserve credit for the picks they’ve made and the foundation it has provided.