All season the early mock drafts had the Houston Texans taking a quarterback, usually with the first overall pick.
Instead, Lovie Smith exited his time as coach of the Texans with a win that pushed the team back to the second overall pick, and ever since the mocks have been spinning trying to figure out what happens next.
According to one mock draft from 33rd Team, Houston gets a quarterback, but before the NFL Draft ever begins.
"In a surprising turn of events, the Texans pivot off of drafting a young quarterback, (and) land Derek Carr in a trade with the Raiders prior to the draft," says 33rd Team. "And build their defense by landing talented Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson."
Two picks in, and Houston has a quarterback and the best pass rusher in the draft.
Not bad.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears traded out of the top spot collecting the fourth overall selection from the Indianapolis Colts along with a 2023 second and third-round pick, and a future first.
With the No. 1 pick, the Colts selected Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback CJ Stroud.
The Texans followed up their acquisitions of a quarterback and pass rusher by getting a playmaker for Carr, selecting TCU receiver Quentin Johnston with the 12th overall pick.
But we aren't done yet.
In this two-round mock, Houston comes up again at No. 34, taking Georgia Bulldogs edge Nolan Smith.
Two pass rushers, one quarterback, and a playmaker to put it all together.
Oh, and five more rounds of the NFL Draft to work with still.
This may be fiction today, but that sure looks like a good start to the DeMeco Ryans era, if it were to become reality.
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