Pre-Draft Projected Starters: 2023 Houston Texans

The Houston Texans enter the 2023 season with some hope. New head coach DeMeco Ryans was one of the top candidates in the hiring cycle and they landed him. They own picks 2 and 12 in the upcoming draft and will likely draft their quarterback of the future. However, the Texans were also active in free agency, signing some quality players to the roster. Who are the projected starters for the Houston Texans pre-draft? Let’s take a look.

Houston Texans 2023 Pre-Draft Projected Starters

I will emphasize the pre-draft portion of this list. The Texans are likely to draft some rookies that will start in week 1. However, since those players are not on the roster currently, they are not eligible for this list. Now that we have gotten that out of the way, onto the list!

Quarterback

QB Davis Mills

Remember when I said this is a pre-draft projection? Mills was the starter last year and was fine. He had his good moments but a lot of bad moments in between. The Week 1 starter will most likely be the rookie they draft with the no. 2 overall pick. However, let’s entertain this idea for a moment. As you will see on this list, the defense is where most of the work is needed.

Could the Texans pull a shocker and take Will Anderson with the second pick and then run with Mills? It would be a high-risk play but one that could pay off if Mills showed improvement. Okay, we’ve entertained that idea. Mills will most likely be the backup quarterback this year but for now, he is the projected starter.

Offensive Line

LT Laremy Tunsil, LG Kenyon Green, C Scott Quessenberry, RG Shaq Mason, RT Tytus Howard

On so many bad teams, the problem is that the offensive line is terrible. This is not the case for the Houston Texans. Tunsil got his payday and reset the market for left tackles. It is well-deserved. Quessenberry and Mason are savvy veterans who are in their prime. The line plays well together and should be an asset for the Texans this season. This line should allow the Texans to score some points. In a weak AFC South, having an offense that can move the ball might be enough for the division.

Running Back

RB Dameon Pierce

Pierce was one of the sexy rookie of the year picks last year. He had a solid season on a terrible team so a lot of his productions went unnoticed. He rushed for just under 1,000 yards and also caught 30 balls out of the backfield. As with every rookie, the question is whether they can elevate their game in year two. So many rookies have the sophomore slump and take a step back. The hope is that Pierce will have more running room with an athletic quarterback under center. Unless something crazy happens, I expect Pierce to be the starter in week 1.

Wide Receiver

WR Robert Woods, WR John Metchie III, WR Amari Rodgers

This is my boldest take on the projected starters for the Houston Texans. Nico Collins and Noah Brown are also on the roster but I think Metchie and Rodgers beat them out. Woods was a great veteran signing and should easily have the starting job. Metchie sat out his rookie season after being diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. Reports are that his recovery is going well, and he could start his off-season program soon.

We saw the talent at Alabama and I think it shows in training camp, and the Texans start him. Rodgers came over from the Green Bay Packers mid-season last year. He is a quality slot receiver that just couldn’t find his footing in Green Bay. Rodgers showed flashes last season but now has a full off-season to learn the offense. I think he starts in the slot in week 1.

Tight End

TE Dalton Schultz

When free agency started, I don’t think many people had Schultz going to the Texans. However, the team signed him to a deal and immediately upgraded the position. I looked at the depth chart before writing this article and I had never heard of any of them. Schultz also brings a nice veteran presence to an offense full of young talent. He should be a great security blanket for the young quarterback. This was a home run signing for the Houston Texans.

Defensive Line

DE Jonathan Greenard, DT Maliek Collins, DT Sheldon Rankins, DE Chase Winovich

As we flip to the defensive side of the ball, I am less optimistic. The defensive line shows what I think of a lot of the defense. They are fine players but there aren’t many difference-makers. I would feel great if this line was my fourth or fifth option but as the starter, I am less enthused. My big surprise pick is Winovich over Jerry Hughes.

I like Winovich a lot and I think he plays with a good motor. My bet is that he has a big training camp, and Ryans has no choice but to put him in the starting lineup in week 1.

Linebacker

LB Christian Harris, LB Christian Kirksey, LB Denzel Perryman

I feel the same way about this group as I do about the defensive line. This group is the vanilla ice cream of linebacking groups. If the only ice cream is vanilla, I’m happy! Ice cream is delicious. However, when vanilla is put up against all of the other flavors, it becomes less exciting. This group needs more flavor to it.

To continue the metaphor, it needs some cookie dough chunks or a caramel swirl. I expect the Texans to try and find a good linebacker in the draft to try and add some talent to this group. The only optimism that I have is that this group is being coached by Ryans. He has proven his prowess as a defensive coach and should elevate this group.

Safety

FS Jalen Pitre, SS Jimmie Ward

While I have some questions about the front seven, I really like the projected starters in the secondary, especially if the Texans add one more piece in the draft. Ward is a veteran that can help lead this young group. Pitre was a second-round pick last year and, I think, gets the starting nod next to Ward in the opening week. A lot of pressure is going to be put on this group if the front seven cannot generate any pressure. This is a solid back-end group that the Houston Texans are happy to have.

Cornerback

CB Steven Nelson, CB Derek Stingley Jr.

I really like the season that Stingley Jr. had last season. Not much went right for the Houston Texans but taking Stingley Jr. with the third overall pick was a good choice. Sauce Gardner gets all of the love from the class (which is deserved) but Stingley quietly had a good rookie year. Nelson is fine but I think he gets knocked down the depth chart by week 1.

With the 12th overall pick, I think the Texans should swing for a top corner in the draft. Pairing Stingley Jr. with another young corner and Pitre give the Texans a unit to build around.

Those are my pre-draft projected starters for the Houston Texans. I do think that this list will see a lot of turnover after the draft, as the Texans are looking to build a young core to compete in a couple of years. However, with the weakness of their division, they might make some noise in 2023.