List of Houston Texans first-round draft picks

J.J. Watt, widely regarded to be the greatest Texans player of all time, was drafted 11th overall in the 2011 NFL draft.[1]

The Houston Texans are a professional American football team from Houston, playing in the National Football League (NFL). They joined the NFL in 2002 as an expansion franchise.[a][2] Following the controversial relocation of the Houston Oilers to Nashville[b][3] and the NFL's need for a 32nd team in the league, Houston was awarded the upcoming franchise, at a cost of $700 million paid by then-owner Bob McNair.[4][5][2] The Houston Texans made their first selection as an NFL team in the 2002 NFL draft, selecting Fresno State quarterback David Carr number 1 overall.[6] The team's most recent first-round selection was C. J. Stroud, an Quarterback from Ohio State and Will Anderson Jr., an Outside linebacker from Alabama, selected in 2023.[7]

Every year during April, each NFL franchise seeks to add new players to its roster through a collegiate draft known as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting," which is more commonly known as the NFL Draft. Teams are ranked in inverse order based on the previous season's record, with the team with the worst record picking first, and the second worst picking second and so on. The two exceptions to this order are made for teams that appeared in the previous Super Bowl; the Super Bowl champion always picks 32nd, with the loser of the big game always picking 31st. Teams have the option of trading away their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or a combination thereof. Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades.[8]

The Texans have selected number one overall three times, David Carr in 2002, Mario Williams in 2006, and Jadeveon Clowney in 2014.[6][9][10] The Houston Texans have only three times drafted two or more times in the first round, which occurred in 2004, 2022 and 2023.

Andre Johnson is the Texans' only draft pick to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Key

B Back K Kicker NT Nose tackle
C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback
DB Defensive back P Punter HB Halfback
DE Defensive end QB Quarterback WR Wide receiver
DT Defensive tackle RB Running back G Guard
E End T Offensive tackle TE Tight end
^ Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
* Selected number one overall
Indicates the player was selected for the Pro Bowl

Player selections

Houston Texans first-round draft picks
Year Pick Player name Position College Notes Ref
2002 1 David Carr* QB Fresno State First draft pick in franchise history. Agreed to contract before the draft.
2003 3 Andre Johnson †^ WR Miami(FL) Pro Bowl selection
2× All-Pro first-team selection
2004 10 Dunta Robinson CB South Carolina
27 Jason Babin DE Western Michigan Pro Bowl selection.
2005 16 Travis Johnson DT Florida State
2006 1 Mario Williams*† DE North Carolina State Pro Bowl selection
1× All-Pro first-team selection
2007 10 Amobi Okoye DT Louisville Youngest player ever taken in modern draft era
2008 26 Duane Brown T Virginia Tech Pro Bowl selection
1× All-Pro first-team selection
2009 15 Brian Cushing LB USC Pro Bowl selection
2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year
2010 20 Kareem Jackson CB Alabama
2011 11 J. J. Watt DE Wisconsin Pro Bowl selection
5× All-Pro first-team selection
2014 Bert Bell Award
Defensive Player of the Year
2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
2012 26 Whitney Mercilus DE Illinois
2013 27 DeAndre Hopkins WR Clemson Pro Bowl selection
2× All-Pro first team selection
2014 1 Jadeveon Clowney*† DE South Carolina Pro Bowl selection
1× All-Pro first-team selection
2015 16 Kevin Johnson CB Wake Forest
2016 21 Will Fuller WR Notre Dame
2017 12 Deshaun Watson QB Clemson Pro Bowl selection
2020 NFL passing yards leader
2018 No Pick Part of trade to acquire selection to draft Deshaun Watson
2019 23 Tytus Howard T Alabama State
2020 No Pick Part of trade to acquire Laremy Tunsil
2021 No Pick
2022 3 Derek Stingley Jr. CB LSU
15 Kenyon Green G Texas A&M [i]
2023 2 C. J. Stroud QB Ohio State 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year
3 Will Anderson Jr. LB Alabama 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year

Footnotes

  1. ^ The franchise was established in 1999, but played its first season in 2002.
  2. ^ Now the Tennessee Titans
  3. ^ On April 24, 2004, the Texans traded their 2004 second round pick, third round pick, fourth round pick, and fifth round pick to the Tennessee Titans for their 2004 first round pick (27th overall) and fifth-round pick.
  4. ^ On April 23, 2005, the Texans traded their 2005 first round pick (13th overall) to the New Orleans Saints for their 2005 first round pick (16th overall) and a 2006 third round pick.
  5. ^ On April 28, 2016, the Texans traded their 2016 first round pick (22nd overall) and a 2017 sixth round pick to the Washington Redskins for their 2016 first round pick (21st overall).
  6. ^ On April 27, 2017, the Texans traded their 2017 first round pick (25th overall) and their 2018 first round pick (4th overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for their 2017 first round pick (12th overall).
  7. ^ Traded to Miami Dolphins, who traded to Green Bay Packers, used to select Jordan Love
  8. ^ Traded to Miami Dolphins, who traded to San Francisco 49ers, used to select Trey Lance
  9. ^ On March 18, 2022, the Texans traded quarterback Deshaun Watson and a 2024 sixth-round selection to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's first-round selection (13th overall) and fourth-round selection previously acquired from Detroit (107th overall), as well as 2023 and 2024 first-round selections, a 2023 third-round selection, and a 2024 fourth-round selection.[28] The Texans traded the 2022 13th overall pick to Philadelphia in exchange for a first-round selection (15th overall), fourth-round selection (124th overall), and two fifth-round selections (162nd and 166th overall).[29]

References

  1. ^ Teets, Sam (2020-06-15). "Ranking The 5 Greatest Houston Texans In Franchise History". ClutchPoints. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  2. ^ a b Sandomir, Richard (1999-10-07). "NFL Goes Back to Houston for $700 Million". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  3. ^ "Oilers Change Name To Titans". www.cbsnews.com. 14 November 1998. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  4. ^ George, Thomas (1996-05-01). "NFL Owners Approve Move To Nashville By the Oilers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  5. ^ "Official Site of the Houston Texans". www.houstontexans.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  6. ^ a b c "Texans' Carr Is a Puzzle in Search of Answers". The New York Times. 2006-11-01. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  7. ^ Sidhu, Deepi (April 27, 2023). "Behind the trade in Houston: Texans draft C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson in back-to-back picks". Houston Texans. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  8. ^ "The rules of the NFL Draft | NFL Football Operations". operations.nfl.com. Archived from the original on 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  9. ^ a b Fantabulous, Captain. "A Tale of Three Rookies: The Truth Behind the Mario Williams Pick". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  10. ^ a b "2014 NFL draft: Houston Texans select Jadeveon Clowney with No. 1 pick". The Washington Post. 2014-05-08. Archived from the original on 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  11. ^ Gosselin, Rick. "Andre Johnson ranks 11th on the NFL's all-time receiving list and is a first-time eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame". Sports Illustrated Talk Of Fame Network. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  12. ^ Healy, Joseph. "Looking Back on the Houston Texans' 2004 Draft". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  13. ^ a b c d e f "Texans trade Cheek". www.houstontexans.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  14. ^ "Texans pick Travis Johnson; Bears draft Benson". Chron. 2005-04-23. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  15. ^ Victor, Seth. "Looking Back at Reggie Bush, Mario Williams, and the 2006 NFL Draft". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  16. ^ "Pro Football Focus lists Amobi Okoye as Texans' worst draft pick since 2006". Texans Wire. 2021-07-02. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  17. ^ "Texans take Brown at No. 26". www.houstontexans.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  18. ^ "Draft Journey: Brian Cushing". www.houstontexans.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  19. ^ Cordova, Jacob. "2010 NFL Draft: Houston Texans Select CB Kareem Jackson Over Kyle Wilson". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  20. ^ Radcliffe, J. R. "J.J. Watt was drafted 10 years ago; is he the best NFL player ever from the state of Wisconsin?". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  21. ^ Dudko, James. "2012 NFL Draft: Grading the Houston Texans' Selection of Whitney Mercilus". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  22. ^ "Texans draft DeAndre Hopkins at No. 27". www.houstontexans.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  23. ^ "Are the Texans off the hook for selecting CB Kevin Johnson in 2015 NFL Draft?". Texans Wire. 2020-04-12. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  24. ^ "First Draft: Will Fuller". www.houstontexans.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  25. ^ KTRK (2017-04-28). "HOUSTON, we have a quarterback! Texans select Deshaun Watson in NFL Draft". ABC13 Houston. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  26. ^ Tim (2019-04-25). "2019 NFL Draft Results: Houston Texans Select Tytus Howard With 23rd Overall Pick". Battle Red Blog. Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  27. ^ "Texans select LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr. with No. 3 overall pick in 2022 NFL Draft". NFL.com. April 28, 2022. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  28. ^ "Browns trade for Texans QB Deshaun Watson in deal that includes three first-round picks". NFL.com. March 18, 2022. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  29. ^ "Eagles trade up to select Georgia DT Jordan Davis with No. 13 pick in 2022 NFL Draft". NHL.com. April 28, 2022. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.

External links

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