Texans GM Nick Caserio breaks down why they went with C.J. Stroud over Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson

The GM describes the reason for the Texans picking CJ Stroud to be their point-man despite having other options available.

Texans GM Nick Caserio breaks down why they went with C.J. Stroud over Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson, Nick Caserio, Bryce Young, and C.J. Stroud (Image via: Imago)

Houston, you have a problem. But a rather good one as yet again, the team has struck gold when it comes to drafting a talented quarterback. After the departure of Deshaun Watson, the Texans were believed to have lost a QB with the potential of taking them to the Super Bowl, however, the team managed to undo that by drafting CJ Stroud in 2023.

General Manager for the Houston Texans, Nick Caserio addressed the reasons that pushed the organization to draft CJ Stroud over his peers such as Anthony Richardson and Will Levis in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Stroud was expected to be a top 2 pick alongside Bryce Young, who was the first pick in the draft.

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We had gone through the QB group extensively...we really went through every player...we had a handful of QBs as a part of our process.
Nick Caserio described the team’s process leading up to drafting their QB

He goes on to add that it was all about attempting to make the most out of information available to the team and based upon that, attempting to determine if the player would be a good fit within the organization or not. 

I think the most important thing with any player is, they just have to be who they are. Whatever their personality is, you just have to see a consistency at every checkpoint, from whatever interaction you've had.

Nick Caserio and the Texans scouting team viewed Stroud as the perfect match for their team

The GM describes that the team looks to determine the personality and character of the player through his interactions with members of the team. Based upon the manner in which the player talks to staff at different levels throughout the building, feedback from the coaches that he has played for, and other factors. It is an extensive process.

Nick Caserio (via ESPN)
Nick Caserio (via ESPN)

The reason the Texans decided to pick CJ Stroud was due to his personality, 

You feel it. You feel his presence, there's a confidence, there's a competitiveness, there's a edge and a good way and what you want.

Nick Caserio saw that Stroud had all these qualities, he described the quarterback as one who had a perfect balance of confidence and competitiveness.

However, while these are essential qualities a QB ought to have, there are situations wherein their confidence becomes the reason for their downfall. A QB should know when to take a step back and just put their ego aside. Stroud fit the bill perfectly for the Texans, and he was the perfect piece as he would fit in well with the team’s culture. 

Lucky for Houston, the Panthers decided to pick Bryce Young with the number 1 pick which led to CJ Stroud being available for the Texans.

Stroud has been one of the best things to happen to the Texans in recent history, as he is well on his way to winning Rookie of the Year honors. His monstrous performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which he led his team to a 37-29 victory and threw for 470 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions, was enough to end the debate on who the best player from this draft class is.

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