2022 NFL Draft: Grading Every Team’s 2022 NFL Draft Haul
By Hunter Haas
Texans (9 picks):
1:03 – Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
1:15 – Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M
2:05 – Jalen Pitre, Safety, Baylor
2:12 – John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
3:11 – Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
4:02 – Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida
5:07 – Thomas Booker, DL, Stanford
5:27 – Teagan Quitoriano, TE, Oregon State
6:27 – Austin Deculus, OL, LSU
The Houston Texans have done their best to put the past behind them this offseason by trading away Deshaun Watson for a treasure trove of draft picks. More importantly, the shadow cast from the numerous allegations against Watson is no longer looming over the franchise. General manager Nick Caserio inherited a situation that nobody thought could be salvaged, and he’s flipped that narrative on its head.
After a lowkey great draft in 2021, Caserio followed it up with an even better effort this year. Derek Stingley Jr. is a lockdown cornerback in the NFL, provided he can stay healthy and dialed in. The 15th pick was used on Kenyon Green, a guy that can start immediately at either guard position.
Jalen Pitre is one of my favorite players in the class, and he will help Stingley reshape the secondary and give the team two pillars to build around. John Metchie-Christian Harris-Dameon Pierce will all be in the starting lineup week one as well. Yes, it is easy to upgrade positions when you have a roster as devoid of talent as the Texans had in 2021, but it is not easy to add five guys in the same draft class that are expected to start immediately.
All things considered, Caserio came out of this offseason as clean as he could and now Texans fans have a reason for optimism towards the future.
Grade: B+