Texans' turnaround started with 'special' NFL draft class - ESPN

HOUSTON — DeMeco Ryans left his first draft as a head coach feeling optimistic.

For starters, Ryans believed the Houston Texans had just landed «two staples» to build their roster around.

First, they selected quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 pick and then they surprised the draft world when they traded up to the third pick and selected defensive end Will Anderson Jr.

«When I knew we had the ability to trade and get Will [along with] C.J., it was 'OK, it's on,'» Ryans told ESPN. «You don't always get the top guys that you want. So for us to get two top guys, we wanted at two key positions at quarterback and defensive end, that was the start.»

On Day 2, the Texans drafted selected wide receiver Tank Dell in the third round.

«Then to come around and get our favorite receiver in the draft in Tank.… I knew that things started to shape up the right way just adding those three guys,» Ryans said.

Their rookies are a major reason the Texans advanced to the playoffs. Now Houston heads to the divisional round, where they will visit the AFC's top-seeded Baltimore Ravens on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+).

On paper, Houston believed it had taken a step in the right direction in the draft, but Ryans knew that he needed to see what the players could do to turn his optimism into belief.

«Watching the guys when they stepped on the field in practice, you get them on the grass and you see who they really are and how they play,» Ryans said. «And it was special.»

That draft class helped turn around an organization that went 11-38-1 from 2020 to 2022 and led the Texans (10-7) to the AFC South title for the first time since 2019.

Stroud had quite the playoff debut in Houston's 45-14 win over the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card