As the NFL Draft really got rolling, it was clear that the Texans were getting better pick-by-pick. They drafted players in every position group other than quarterback and have a lot to look forward to as they take this rookie class to the fields of the Houston Methodist Training Center.
Following the harvest of making five good picks last year, Nick Caserio was equipped with 10 selections for 2022. That turned into 11 after day one, in addition to the two players who got things going: Derek Stingley and Kenyon Green.
That's because Caserio went to the phone early, dropping from 13 to 15 and getting extra Draft capital along the way. The first trade of the weekend began a franchise record run of four trades during the draft.
The Secondary and O-Line, two crucial position groups, got a B-12 shot after round one. The addition of the versatile Jalen Pitre made the secondary even better early on Friday night when round two started.
The Texans also made it two-in-a-row from the Houston area. Eventually three players from Houston would be acquired by the time the draft was in the books. Green told the media that Lovie Smith said he's in favor of building the team with Texas players.
Not that local origin is a requirement. After all, second round selection John Metchie was born in Taiwan and lived in Ghana and Canada before finding his way to Bama and now the Texans. He's got the most YAC yards in all the Power Five conferences in the last two seasons. His teammate on the defensive side, Christian Harris, a third round pick, is an explosive linebacker who can cover and will look to make a big impression in camp.
Speaking of YAC, in the case of running backs that refers to 'yards after contact.' That's one of the things fourth round choice Dameon Pierce excels at. He's a hammer from Florida who could provide some punch out of the backfield for Pep Hamilton's offense. When Davis Mills had a strong complementary running game down the stretch, like in the Charger game, the passing game really clicked.
Mills' college teammate Thomas Booker was grabbed in the fifth round to fortify the defensive line. He's a two-time second team All-Pac 12 member and is coached by David Shaw, who's been helping the NFL Network with their coverage all weekend long.
There were only three tight ends on the roster heading into the weekend, so you figured there might be one picked along the way. Teagan Quitoriano was selected at 170 overall in Round Five. He's got a big body to block with but can also be utilized as a receiver.
Austin Deculus, an offensive lineman from LSU, was the final Houston selection. The Cy-Fair player participated in an LSU record 61 games and will look to help bolster the Texans' front five.
It's been fun to watch the players get picked. Now the real work starts, and while the Texans have added to the arsenal, so have the rest of the AFC South teams. The 2022 race began the moment last season ended.
Player acquisition season is just about in the books and soon enough mini-camp then training camp will be here. Bring it.
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