(SportsRadio 610) - With the 2022 NFL Draft less than two months away, and the Texans having their full slate of draft picks for the first time in three years, focus is on how to improve this team with an influx of young talent.
For now, the Texans have nine draft picks this year, compared to the five the ended up with in 2021.
It was a successful rookie class for what it was, especially considering the first pick was quarterback Davis Mills in the third round (67th overall).
Mills ultimately became the Texans' starter and is presumed to have that role again this upcoming season. Third-round wide receiver Nico Collins and fifth-round tight end Brevin Jordan also played an important roles in the offense as the season progressed. Fifth-round linebacker Garret Wallow mostly played on special teams, but injuries toward the end of the season provided him an opportunity to step in on defense. Defensive tackle Roy Lopez, the Texans' final pick in the sixth round, was their most consistent rookie after stepping into a starting role early in the year.
“I'd say generally speaking, we saw some progress from the rookies, not just Davis (Mills), but I'd say Nico (Collins) kind of as the year progressed," Texans general manager Nick Caserio said Tuesday from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "Garret Wallow had an opportunity to play a little bit later in the year. The one guy that played the most snaps and was the most consistent from beginning to end was Roy Lopez, and he was picked in the sixth round or something like that, whatever it was. So I think the big thing is, you're just looking for some level of improvement and progress from year one to year two. We've had about 25, 30 players that have been at NRG over the last two to three weeks, so they're hungry, they're excited for the offseason, so they're kind of starting their training regimen, they're kind of turning the page to next season.
"So I think the biggest thing is taking advantage of their opportunities between now and the start of OTAs. Our offseason program will start, I think it's going to start April 11th-ish, something like that, so we've got a couple weeks early relative to maybe some of the other folks. Just try to be smart and hopefully those guys can see the gains that they made during the season and hopefully continue to build on the things they did last season."