2023 NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys stock up offense, Panthers reach at QB
By Randy Gurzi
C.J. Stroud. 2. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. 10. Ohio State. player
2. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
The Houston Texans lost by losing.
Houston finished with the second-worst record, so they get the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft but at least they should still get one of the top quarterbacks. Thanks to a trade with the Cleveland Browns last offseason, this will be the second year in a row they have multiple picks in Round 1 — and there will be one more year with that being the case in 2024.
There will be calls for them to grab Bryce Young but his size could end up being an issue. At just 6-foot-0 and weighing under 200 pounds, there will be questions about him holding up at the next level. Of course, a team with a good offensive line and talent around him would help, but Houston has none of that.
So instead, they grab C.J. Stroud who has an NFL stature at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds. He also was on fire against the Georgia Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs, and that’s a defense full of elite talent.
Houston won’t win with Stroud alone but if they make smart picks, and hire a coach who knows how to call plays that will work in 2023, he could be their long-term answer.