Wide receiver Quentin Johnston #1 of the TCU Horned Frogs carries the ball for a second quarter first down against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on September 2, 2022 in Boulder, Colorado.
Dustin Bradford/Getty ImagesThe Houston Texans' chances of receiving the top selection in the 2023 NFL draft got a boost on Thursday, as the Carolina Panthers took down the Atlanta Falcons to improve to 3-7.
Houston currently has the worst record in the league at 1-6-1. As a result, the team also has the inside track on the first overall pick. The Texans have a first-round pick from the Cleveland Browns, as well, which at the moment appears it will end up somewhere in the No. 10 to No. 15 range.
Each week throughout the rest of the regular season, we'll be compiling a collection of various mock draft predictions for the Texans. Obviously, there will be variations—depending on when these projections were released and how their predicted pick slots are determined. But this should provide some insight into which players fans should keep an eye on over the final weeks of the college football season.
Here’s a look at who the Texans could select in the first round, based on five different mock drafts, as well as my take on what they should do.
Bryce Young #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws the ball during the first half against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Jonathan Bachman/Getty ImagesCBS Sports (Josh Edwards) - Nov. 10
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: No. 2
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State: No. 15 (from Cleveland)
Pro Football Network (Joe Broback) - Nov. 9
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: No. 1
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU: No. 13 (from Cleveland)
Sports Illustrated (Kevin Hansen) - Nov. 9
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: No. 1
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU: No. 13 (from Cleveland)
The Draft Network (Damian Parson) - Nov. 7
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: No. 1
Jordan Addison WR, USC: No. 13 (from Cleveland)
WalterFootball.com - Nov. 9
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: No. 1
Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU: No. 13 (from Cleveland)
Last week, I suggested the Texans spend their first pick on Alabama linebacker Will Anderson—who I still believe is the top prospect in the 2023 draft class—and take a quarterback later in the first round. However, with six teams that could draft ahead of their second selection potentially in the market for a signal-caller, they might not have the luxury of waiting around if Davis Mills is deemed not to be the quarterback of the future.
From an efficiency standpoint, Young had his worst game of the season in last week's loss to LSU. Even with this setback, though, he still has a 19-4 over the last two years, with three of these losses coming against top-10 teams. He has eight wins over ranked teams during this span, and could help generate a winning culture that is desperately needed in Houston.
For a team that has been so bad in so many aspects defensively, it seems to be a smart play to address both sides of the ball in the first round. But given the ongoing uncertainty regarding Brandin Cooks, it's tough to argue against the Texans taking a wide receiver with their second pick—especially if the Browns have a late-season surge. If Houston has two picks in the top 10, then I would still lean toward taking Anderson first and whoever is left out of Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Kentucky's Will Levis second. If it's looking like the Texans' second selection is more in the No. 15 to No. 20 range, I'd take Young at the top of the draft and go with a receiver later in the first round—unless Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter is somehow still on the board.