Nick Caserio nailed the draft. With Deshaun Watson now a Cleveland Brown, the team looks to bring new light to the last few years smeared over by controversy. However, with four top 50 picks in the draft, the team had the ammo to get a great crop of young talent. Caserio, being a Bill Belichick disciple and knows to build a defense from the back to the front. At the same time, the team has a better secondary, with two of the first four picks being defensive backs. Furthermore, the Houston Texans went with the approach of bringing in high-level character guys, and it is going to help turn the franchise around.
Best Pick: Jalen Pitre (Round 2, Pick 37)
Aside from Kyle Hamilton, Pitre might be the following best safety in the class. The Baylor safety has excellent ball skills and coverage skills. On top of having an outstanding character, he is also a ball hawk. While he will need to improve his man coverage skills, he is a freak athlete, and his film shows it. However, with the Texans not having an excellent roster, Pitre will be a starter on day one. At the same time, Pitre will immediately become a fan favorite as he serves as a caliber safety the team hasn’t had since Tyrann Mathieu back in 2018.
Grade: A+
For more on Pitre, check out our scouting report on him.
Worst Pick: Teagan Quitoriano (Round 5, Pick 170)
Quitoriano is the worst pick here, but that doesn’t hold any merit. With the Texans having one of the better drafts this year, he gets the nod by default. While the teams needed a tight end, Quitoriano isn’t a bad choice in the fifth round. However, he made the list only because the team had better prospects still on the board. With the pick being based solely on the need of the position and not BPA. However, he does have the ability to be a playmaker at the position. Furthermore, with the Texans having a fantastic draft, Quitoriano gets this selection by default.
Grade: B
Sleeper Pick: Thomas Booker (Round 5, Pick 150)
Booker is the perfect example of the culture that Caserio is trying to build. The Stanford prospect was a model student and athlete both on the campus and off of it. Many say that he could potentially be one of the most intelligent players in this draft class. However, nothing sums this up more than his interview with Brett Kollmann at the combine. During the interview, it was evident that his knowledge of the game was vast. At the same time, his mind is his most vital tool, and he will need to spend a year getting his physical game to the level his mind is at. Furthermore, Booker will be a player-coach on the field and in the locker room and someone who holds the team together.
Grade: A+
For more on Booker, check out our scouting report on him.
Summary
The Texans had a clear plan for the draft, and that was to get high-caliber players both in the locker room and on the field. While the whole roster for the team lacks talent, this draft adds a lot of skill to many positions. While the team had other prospects still on the board when selecting, they opted to go with the high-caliber player over those with a character concern. With a new coach and new talent on the roster, the team looks to have a fresh start next season. So while Caserio had a draft for the ages, it’s now up to the coaches to put the players in positions to succeed and win games for the organization.
Overall Grade: A
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