The Houston Texans didn’t mess around with any small-college players in the 2022 NFL Draft. They went power conferences all the way.
And they had a fair amount of draft capital after the trade of franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns. They needed to use it wisely with so many holes to fill.
The Texans started with the No. 3 pick (their own) and went for LSU cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr. — and if you want to feel old, he’s former Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley’s grandson. If he can stay healthy, Stingley should quickly upgrade the Texans’ secondary, but he has been bitten by the injury bug the last two seasons.
With their second pick of the first round, the Texans took Texas A&M OG Kenyon Green at No. 15 (moving back from the pick they received from the Browns at No. 13). Green is a local product, whose versatility allowed him to play all five offensive line positions in college. He was also an All-American his last two years.
Derek Stingley, Jr. is 6-foot tall and weighs 190 pounds. His arms are 30 5/8 inches. He was not at the NFL Combine. NFL.com says he has “Boom-Or-Bust potential.”
The Texans have taken cornerbacks in the first round three times since 2004. All were successful NFL players.
Green is 6-4 and 323 pounds. His arms are 34 1/8 inches. At the NFL Combine he ran a 5.24 40-yard-dash and had a vertical jump of 26 inches. NFL.com predicts he “will become a good starter within two years.”
The Texans had not previously picked a guard in the first round before the 2022 NFL Draft.
Texans History with Cornerbacks in First Round
Who the Texans Picked in the 2022 NFL Draft
- Round 1 (3rd overall): Derek Stingley, Jr. (LSU CB)
- Round 1 (15th overall): Kenyon Green (Texas A&M OG)
- Round 2 (37th overall): Jalen Pitre (Baylor DB)
- Round 2 (44th overall): John Metchie III (Alabama WR)
- Round 3 (75th overall): Christian Harris (Alabama LB)
- Round 4 (107th overall): Dameon Pierce (Florida RB)
- Round 5 (150th overall): Thomas Booker (Stanford DT)
- Round 5 (170th overall): Teagan Quitoriano (Oregon State TE)
- Round 6 (205th overall): Austin Deculus (LSU OT)
The Texans added nine players overall in the seven-round 2022 draft, including two defensive backs and two offensive linemen.
The Texans went back to strengthening their secondary in the second round, choosing Baylor DB Jalen Pitre with the 37th pick. Pitre is another versatile defensive player who plays both safety and cornerback. Seven picks later, at No. 44, the Texans bolstered their receiving corps with Alabama WR John Metchie III. Metchie was a major weapon for the Crimson Tide in 2021 (96 catches, 1,142 yards, 8 TDs) before tearing his ACL in the SEC Championship game.
Key picks for the Texans could be RB Dameon Pierce and TE Teagan Quitoriano. Pierce ran for 13 touchdowns at Florida in 2021 and Quitoriano considered himself one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the draft. They’ve got to help. To be blunt, Houston was terrible at running the ball last season.
Oddsmakers Show Minimal Faith in Texans After Draft
Last season the Texans finished 4-13 after starting out 1-8. For the 2022 season, oddsmakers have the Texans win total at 4.5, with the number at -120 under and +100 over. If you think new Coach Lovie Smith will have the team overachieving, you can get +1000 on them to make the playoffs, +2500 to win the AFC South, +10000 to win the AFC, and if Mattress Mack wants to put a million down on the Texans to win the Super Bowl, the odds are 200-to-1.
With a new head coach and an unproven quarterback, 23-year-old Davis Mills, it’s difficult to see the Texans making any major strides this season.
There is no legal Texas sports betting at this time. Legislation didn’t gain any traction in 2021 and the state legislature only meets in odd years.
So the next time it can come up again is 2023, but one group, the Texas Sports Betting Alliance, is trying to bring the sports betting issue to lawmakers before and during the next session.
