2023 NFL Draft Rumors: Texans Not Expected to Draft Will Levis, Anthony Richardson

The Houston Texans "may indeed pass on a quarterback with their second overall pick" in the 2023 NFL draft, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports.

Wilson reported Ohio State star C.J. Stroud "isn't the Texans' first choice at quarterback" and added Houston isn't expected to take Kentucky's Will Levis or Florida's Anthony Richardson, either.

On Monday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported how Houston was successfully keeping everybody guessing.

"No one has any idea what the Houston Texans are going to do," he said. "Literally no one except for (general manager) Nick Caserio and (head coach) DeMeco Ryans, which has led to rumors all over the place."

A consensus does seem to be growing about the Texans passing on the top quarterback prospects and looking toward the defensive side of the ball, at least with the No. 2 pick.

ESPN's Todd McShay reported on the situation Monday and provided a similar evaluation to Wilson:

"I've spoken to a lot of people around the NFL about the Texans and keep hearing Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud will not be the pick. It could all be a smoke screen, but what's the benefit in spreading misinformation if Stroud is the pick? Nothing would totally shock me at this point, but it really sounds like the Texans will pass on the quarterbacks, which goes against everything we've thought for months."

There's no question a large segment of fans will be disappointed if Houston doesn't come out of the first round with a quarterback. Davis Mills clearly isn't the answer, and waiting until Day 2 means you could wind up in the exact same place (Mills was a third-round pick in 2021.).

Sure, teams have found bona fide franchise QBs in the second round and beyond. Jalen Hurts, a second-rounder in 2020, became the highest-paid player in NFL history this offseason.

But the reality is that Derek Carr or Andy Dalton is more realistically the ceiling. Carr and Dalton have both enjoyed productive careers, but neither ever broke through into the elite tier.

Having said that, using a high first-round pick on a quarterback you don't love can create problems of its own. If Caserio and Ryans really aren't enamored with Stroud, Levis or Richardson, then bypassing all three is the right call all things considered.