Texans select Canadian WR Metchie in the second round of NFL Draft

The Houston Texans won't have to wait long for Canadian John Metchie III.

Houston traded up with the Cleveland Browns to select the Alabama star receiver in the second round, No. 44 overall, of the 2022 NFL draft Friday night. The Texans made the move despite Metchie suffering a season-ending knee injury in the Tide's 41-24 SEC title win over Georgia on Dec. 4.

"As far as my recovery, I will be good to play football in July," Metchie told reporters during a videoconference. "I'll be good to go, no training wheels.

"I've been running already for the last couple of months, cutting, jumping, all of those type of things. When I say I'll be ready in July, it's full-go football."

Houston GM Nick Caserio jumped ahead of Baltimore for the chance to take Metchie. And with good reason as longtime Ravens executive Ozzie Newsome Jr. is a former star Tide tight end.

"If there's one thing the Ravens love, it's Alabama players," said NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. "This is why the Texans jumped them."

Metchie was the first and only Canadian selected. He was the third receiver taken in the second round and ninth to that point in the draft after six were drafted in the opening round Thursday night.

The receiver from Brampton, Ont., had been mentioned as a potential first-round pick before suffering his knee injury. Daniel Jeremiah, the NFL Network's draft guru, rated Metchie as his No. 73 draft prospect and had projected the former Crimson Tide star as a third-round selection.

Metchie joins a Texans team that struggled last year with a 4-13 record. Houston fired first-year head coach David Culley and promoted defensive co-ordinator Lovie Smith to the head job.

Veteran Tyrod Taylor and rookie Davis Mills shared Houston's quarterback