The Houston Texans shocked everyone with their performance during the 2023 season. After winning only 11 games and cycling through four head coaches in the prior three seasons, Houston turned things around instantly.
The Texans went 10-7, winning the AFC South and earning a playoff berth. They destroyed the Cleveland Browns during Super Wild Card Weekend before falling to the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round. Houston was competitive for the first half, tied 10-10 at halftime but lost the second half 24-0.
The Houston Texans have seemingly arrived way ahead of schedule. With a great head coach in DeMeco Ryans and some excellent building blocks on both sides of the ball, this is a team that could be contending for years to come.
That is why should come as no surprise that the Houston Texans have several players named to PFF’s Top 25 Under 25 rankings. The highest-ranked player on the team is none other than quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Stroud had one of the most productive rookie seasons in NFL history in 2023. The No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State took the league by storm, playing at a high level and looking every bit of the star the team has been looking for under center.
Coming in at No. 14 on the list is the other first-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2023; edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. The team made a bold trade with the Arizona Cardinals to acquire the No. 3 pick, trading away a future first-rounder.
It was a deal lamented by many analysts at the time but turned out to be great for Houston. They made the postseason, making their pick less valuable than anyone would have predicted before the season and now have a foundational piece to build around on offense and defense.
Last but not least is cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. He landed at No. 23, showcasing his incredible talent during the 2023 season. Injuries hampered his rookie campaign in 2022, but he showed why the Houston Texans made him the first cornerback off the board that year.
The cornerback many people thought would be first off the board was Sauce Garnder. He landed with the New York Jets and is ranked No. 2 on the PFF list, behind only Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell.
