For many NFL teams, it’s almost completely 2023 NFL Draft season. For the Houston Texans, there has been one eye on the 2023 NFL Draft pretty much all year. Thanks to the Cleveland Browns not playing overly well in terms of their win-loss record this season, Houston is poised to have multiple picks in the top 15 picks including potentially the no. 1 overall pick. Nothing is set in stone, by any means, but Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has certainly made his case to be the no-brainer selection for Houston in that slot.
Should they earn it, of course. There are still two games to be played.
With that being said, Young is showcasing his skill set against Kansas State on New Year’s Eve and perhaps solidifying his status as the first overall pick whether it’s the Texans or someone else (except Chicago, of course).
Bryce Young solidifying his status as top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft?
Bryce Young is a complete outlier in terms of size - and I get why that will be an issue for some.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) December 31, 2022
But I'll bet on his instincts, processing, release, accuracy, intangibles and ability to create vs. pressure. He's a problem-solver. https://t.co/HyKC0T2Vsh
When Brugler says that Bryce Young is a “complete outlier” in terms of size, he’s not kidding. He’s listed at 6-0, 194 pounds and it wouldn’t be surprising if his playing weight was less than that. We’ve seen some shorter quarterbacks go high or even on top of the NFL Draft in recent years like Baker Mayfield (6-1) and Kyler Murray (5-10) but both of those guys pack quite a bit more weight in their shorter frames, Mayfield at 215 and Murray at 207.
Still, height is only an issue with someone like Bryce Young if it shows up as an issue on the tape, which isn’t the case. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner has a whopping 78 career touchdown passes and counting at Alabama. He’s run for another seven scores.
As Brugler notes, Young excels in the areas of instincts, processing, accuracy, and more. There’s so much to like about him and he’s just flat-out been consistently good.
The Houston Texans, specifically, don’t really need to make any knee-jerk decisions when it comes to the quarterback they choose to build around. They have so many picks and so much flexibility upcoming, but when you look at Bryce Young for them, he makes a ton of sense, doesn’t he?
Even without knowing who their head coach is going to be in 2023 and beyond, we know Nick Caserio comes from the New England Patriots program which has long had an affinity for Alabama players. He drafted Young’s former Crimson Tide teammate John Metchie III last year, so Young is already going to have some familiarity on the roster.
You also consider the fact that Houston has plenty of selections in the upcoming years, it’s not like they would need to tie themselves to Young. Let’s say it goes extremely poorly in 2023 — the Texans could dip into the Caleb Williams or Drake Maye pool in 2024.
The upside is high here and a player like Young has the chance to turn a franchise like Houston around. The way we’ve seen him play the last two years, how could you bet against that? He might not end up being the first overall pick, but he’s perhaps made the strongest case of anybody up to this point.