The Houston Texans will be picking second in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, and while there are a number of quarterback prospects that could end up being chosen with that pick, it is also possible that the Texans opt to select Will Anderson Jr.
Anderson is thought to be the most talented edge prospect in this year’s draft class, and the Texans could end up looking to bolster their defense if they end up not feeling confident about selecting C.J. Stroud, Will Levis or Anthony Richardson.
Of course, this possibility presupposes that the Carolina Panthers will ultimately select Bryce Young, Anderson’s former University of Alabama teammate, with the No. 1 overall pick.
“D.J. [Bien-Aime] and I are going to disagree here, because there is a belief around the league that Houston has eyes for Bryce Young (Alabama) but isn’t sold on the other potential Round 1 quarterbacks,” ESPN’s Matt Miller wrote. “Ownership could get involved and change this, if Cal McNair wants a young quarterback to lead this offense. If that’s the case, C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) would certainly be a fit from a value and need standpoint. But I know the Texans love edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama), the team’s top-ranked prospect overall, and he could land with the Texans. Stay tuned.”
The Texans are no stranger to selecting edge rushers with incredibly high picks. In the 2006 NFL Draft, the Texans selected Mario Williams with the No. 1 overall pick. At the time, it was quite surprising to see him go in front of stars like Reggie Bush and Vince Young.
Could the Texans opt to shore up their pass rush before adding young talent behind center once again? Miller certainly seems to think so.
When it comes to Anderson himself, there is little doubt that he is deserving of a very high selection. Last season, Anderson finished with 51 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
His sophomore season was even more impressive. He finished that campaign with 101 total tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks.
Clearly, he is a force to be reckoned with. It will be interesting to see if the Texans end up selecting him.
If they do, it stands to reason that Davis Mills or Case Keenum will end up throwing the ball for the Texans in Week 1 of the upcoming campaign.
