The Houston Texans have been mired at the bottom of the standings for the past few seasons, but the franchise has some hope now after a successful 2023 NFL Draft.
With the No. 2 overall pick, the Texans selected C.J. Stroud who figures to step in and immediately become the team’s starter for the upcoming season.
Stroud had an impressive two-year run with the Ohio State Buckeyes, displaying a strong and accurate arm and the willingness to stand in the pocket to make throws with pressure bearing down on him.
Houston has been looking for the long-term answer at the quarterback position, and Stroud seems like a solid bet to make it at the professional level if he’s able to replicate his collegiate success.
What made Stroud such a tantalizing prospect is his ability to get the football out to receivers in advantageous spots and that was the case in the Texans’ most recent preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.
Stroud’s performance drew rave reviews from analysts, including ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky.
Stroud was tremendous last night with ball placement
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) August 20, 2023
Stroud played the entire first half against the Dolphins, completing 7-of-12 passes for 60 yards. While the numbers won’t pop off the box score, the way he delivered passes was something the Texans should feel good about going forward.
Houston is likely going to toil around the bottom of the AFC standings again, but for the first time in years the franchise can feel optimistic now that they have a quarterback in place.
All eyes will be on Stroud’s development during his rookie season and it’ll be exciting to see how he grows in the next few months.
NEXT: Texans HC Announces Starting QB For 2nd Preseason Game
