It sure sounds like they're taking a QB at No. 2.Composite image by Brandon Strange.

Houston Texans agree to terms with free agent target

The NFL Draft keeps getting closer and for the Houston Texans, the buzz continues to build on what they will do with the No. 2 overall pick.

It is peak speculation season. Some reports say Houston is locked in to taking whichever of the two — Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud — fall to them at No. 2, others say the Texans could look at going defense with its top pick, and a few even have the team trading its selection all together.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans spoke with reporters on Tuesday as the Texans open up their offseason training program. He spoke about various topics, and he also might have just shown a peek at what Houston is planning to do with its top pick come April 27.

Ryans was asked about what he expects from veteran quarterback Case Keenum, who the Texans signed as a free agent this offseason. His response included focusing on how much of a professional the University of Houston product is, and Ryans also said how he is going to be a coach on the field.

“With Case and all of the experience he has, [we] just see him as a guy that can come in and help the younger guys that are in the room,” Ryans said.

Currently, the Texans have three quarterbacks on the roster: Keenum, last year’s starter in Davis Mills and E.J. Perry, who spent all of his 2022 rookie season on the practice squad for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This is when the tinfoil hats come on, while Mills and Perry are both young, it is hard to believe the Texans brought in Keenum to only help guide them.

Ryans later talked about both Stroud and Young. He didn’t reveal anything about the two specifically other than Stroud visited the Texans last week and Young will visit soon.

He did give a peek behind the curtain on how Houston has approached meeting with players ahead of the draft. Ryans said every encounter is organic because each individual is different. The Texans are seeking to understand each player and learn about what motivates them, he added.

When it comes to selecting a quarterback to be the starter for a team, Ryans also gave his input on what qualities they should have. A quarterback, regardless of their age, needs to be worthy to be a starter, Ryans stated. That is all that matters in his eyes.

What makes a quarterback worthy? Being able to galvanize a locker room, the head coach has said in the past.

As for whoever the Texans take at No. 2, assuming they do not trade the pick, there will be, in theory, some type of pressure for that individual to produce at a high level. Especially if that player is a quarterback.

For Ryans though, that won’t be the case. At least not internally.

“I’m not putting pressure on a guy to come in and just because of where you are picked in the draft, it is unfair to say that a guy is the leader of an organization, and he hasn’t played one snap for our team,” Ryans said.

Before the tinfoil hats come off, the expectation to be a “leader of an organization” is most synonymous with one NFL position.

The NFL Draft can’t get here soon enough.

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Texas hosts Clemson on Dec. 21. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The winner of the Clemson-Texas first-round game on Dec. 21 will play No. 10 Arizona State in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl in Atlanta in the CFP quarterfinals.

For Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is from Austin, Texas, the game will be a homecoming.

“We recruited him hard," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday, calling Klubnik “a winner. He will do whatever it takes to put his team in position to be successful.”

Added Sarkisian: “When he made the decision to go to Clemson, honestly I wasn’t surprised. Both his parents went to (Texas) A&M.”

Klubnik applauded the announcement of the game at Texas for Clemson's seventh CFP appearance.

“For him to be going to his first playoff in Austin, Texas, where he grew up, you can’t make that up,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Pretty cool opportunity for him and his family to go compete against Texas there in Austin.”

Swinney said his only visit to the Texas stadium was to watch Klubnik play in a high school playoff game.

“We’ve never played Texas or played in that stadium,” Swinney said. “... It’s going to be amazing. It’s one of the best venues in college football.”

The Longhorns (11-2) were seeded No. 5 in the CFP following their 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia on Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta.

Sarkisian said his players were “really excited” to see Texas land the No. 5 seed and have the opportunity to play in the Longhorns' first game against Clemson.

Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is a Clemson transfer. Sarkisian said players already were calling the matchup the “Mukuba Bowl.”

Swinney said: “I love Mukuba. I just love his spirit and love his heart. He was a really neat kid.

“I certainly wish he had been able to finish here. He did everything that was asked of him at Clemson. Made a bunch of big plays.”

Clemson (10-3) beat SMU 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night to land an automatic CFP berth. The Tigers are ranked No. 16 in the CFP but were given the 12th and lowest seed. As the fifth-highest ranked league champion, the Tigers do not get a bye and instead must visit Texas.

Arizona State (11-2) earned a bye by rolling over Iowa State 45-19 in the Big 12 championship game Saturday. The Sun Devils were led by running back Cam Skattebo's 170 rushing yards in their impressive win to cap their first season in the Big 12.

Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan noted the Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the Big 12.

“You proved them all wrong,” Stokan told Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham.

Arizona State players celebrated the announcement of their No. 4 seed.

Dillingham said he hopes the conference championship and berth in the CFP helps him recruit and continue to build the program.

“Hopefully this stage will help get our branding out there, and show people that we can be one of the newer brands in college football," Dillingham said. "Every 10-15 years a new brand shows up, and a new brand becomes a national brand.”No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.