The Houston Texans, in a masterstroke of strategy, seized the opportunity to make their picks at the forefront of the 2023 NFL Draft, despite a challenging season with just three wins. Not content with a single pick, they astutely secured two spots in the top three. C.J. Stroud was their No. 2 overall pick, swiftly followed by the acquisition of Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3, a move facilitated by a trade with the Arizona Cardinals.
Initially, the trade was met with a hint of skepticism. The Texans, in a surprising move, traded their own first-round pick instead of the Browns ', a decision that raised eyebrows. The general consensus was that the Texans would be back at the front of the first round the following year, while the Browns would not. However, due to their better season, the Texans' pick was further back than the Browns '.
Upon evaluation by our esteemed analysts, Destin Adams, and James Foster, it became evident that the trade was a stroke of genius. Will Anderson Jr., the pick in question, has already showcased a remarkable performance after just one season, hinting at a promising future.
Here is what they both said about the pick in the most recent episode of The Football Room Podcast, where they graded every rookie in the first half of the first round:
I ended up giving this one an A-. Defensive rookie of the year for Will Anderson Jr. They ended up giving up a future first, which, obviously, at the time, they were crucified because they gave up their own first instead of the Cleveland Browns first. And their first ended up being worse than the Browns... I do still think that watching Will Anderson this last year, he was a really impressive player - they did the perfect thing of getting a Danielle Hunter to play across from him. - Adams
I ended up going with an A for Will Anderson Jr. I think, in a lot of ways, he was really steady throughout the season. To start out, he was winning a lot as a pass rusher - he was getting pressures and stuff, but he just wasn't able to convert them into sacks. In the second half of the year, he starts racking them, [sacks] up. Even some of them are cleanup sacks. But it's still as effective winning one-on-ones getting to the QB. The main thing that will determine if he is a high-end No. 2 or a really good No. 1 is if he can get better with his hands. - Foster
I agree with both statements and would give the grade an A myself. I don't really need to get too deep into why because both of them basically did, but the more the season went on, the more comfortable he got and the better he got. Anderson became the best defensive rookie in the class, but it wasn't close.
The Texans ended up getting two potential transcendental players and the two best rookies in the league.
