QB ROUNDUP

Critical takeaways from Houston Texans meetings with 3 exciting quarterback prospects

Bryce Young, CJ Stroud
Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Anthony Richardson all met with Houston. Composite image by Brandon Strange.
How the Houston Texans' latest hire could alter draft strategy

With the NFL Draft Combine in the rearview mirror, speculation season is in full swing on whom the Houston Texans will take at No. 2 in the draft. Multiple people believe Houston will go with a quarterback with its first selection.

Three top quarterback prospects in the 2023 draft not only went through measurements at the combine but also had a chance to speak with the Texans. Here are some takeaways about those potential future playcallers from Indianapolis.

CJ Stroud

The Ohio State Buckeye said he is looking forward to strengthening his relationship with the Texans over the next few weeks. Stroud’s focus during the interviews at the combine with Houston were on his leadership and personality, he said.

Stroud measured in at 6 feet, 3 inches weighing 214 pounds at the combine. He also had an arm measurement of 32.625 inches and an arm size of 10 inches.

When it comes to the play-making portion of the combine, Stroud showed off his arm strength in Indianapolis. The quarterback looked on target and delivered beautiful long balls to receivers.

As the Texans seek a potential franchise quarterback, general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans will be looking for a person that can galvanize a group of men, excel at getting others to buy in and fit the culture the team is aiming to create. Learning about a person’s personality is a vital quality to seeing if he is the right fit.

Bryce Young

Young was the lone individual at the combine that had everyone wanting to see his measurements. The Alabama prospect’s height came in at 5-10 1/8 with a weight of 204 pounds. His arm size was 30.5 inches and hand size came in at 9.75 inches.

The reason for the interest in Young’s measurements was because of his height. While he is on the shorter side of the height spectrum for a quarterback, he is considered one of the top prospects in the draft because of the playmaker he was with the Crimson Tide.

Young chose not to participate in any of the skill drills at the NFL Combine. However, he did speak with reporters in Indianapolis. When asked about what his greatest asset is, he responded with leadership.

The young quarterback met with the Texans, and he said he enjoyed his time with Houston and called the staff amazing. In the small window, he picked up wisdom, he added.

Anthony Richardson

Richardson had the most eye-popping combine of all quarterback prospects when it comes to pure athletic talent. The greatest example came from his 40.5 inch vertical jump, which set a combine record for quarterbacks.

Richardson measured in at 6 feet, 4 inches and weighed 244 pounds at the combine. His arm size was 32.75 inches and his hand size was 10.5 inches. He also participated in the throwing sessions at the combine. Similar to Stroud, he dazzled spectators with his arm strength.

Richardson also met with the Houston Texans in Indianapolis, he revealed. While he did not give a lot of specifics, he did call the meeting informative and a time when both sides got to know a little bit about each other.

If you take each quarterback’s words at face value, the conversations between the Texans and the prospects were kind of like the first screening at an everyday job interview. Caserio and Ryans not only looked to learn about football but about each player as a person.

With several weeks until April 27, it will be interesting to see which quarterback gets the edge to potentially be Houston’s No. 1 pick.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
Welcome to Houston, Nick! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.

The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.

For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.

“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”

As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.

Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.

He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.

Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.

It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.


*ChatGPT assisted.

___________________________

Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!

https://houston.sportsmap.com/advertise

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome