The Houston Texans hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft later this month, but new head coach DeMeco Ryans doesn't want that selection carrying the bulk of the expectations.
Speaking Tuesday, Ryans -- who appropriately declined to confirm outright the Texans would select a quarterback with the pick -- said any expectations must be tempered to succeed.
"It's exciting for us to have the No. 2 pick, but also at the same time, there is no pressure where a young man is picked," he said. "I think it's unfair to ask a guy just because you're picked No. 2 overall, you have to come in and you're the face of our franchise and you're the leader. That's unfair to the guy. I'm not going to put that type of weight on the shoulders of whoever that is that we pick. That's not what we're anticipating. That's not what we're expecting them to do.
"We're expecting them to come in, be a great teammate, work hard, be deliberate in what you're doing and have a mindset to get better each and every day. That's the mindset, no matter if it's pick two or the last pick of the draft. Really doesn't matter when you get picked. Leaders, those guys will grow based on our team. Each team is different. We have leaders in our locker room already, so I'm not asking a guy to come in and be this savior for our team. We're asking him to come in and put his head down and just work."
The assumption is the Texans will choose a quarterback No. 2 after the Carolina Panthers make their signal-caller selection at No. 1. Following the Deshaun Watson deterioration, the Texans have been without an obvious franchise quarterback for two years. Davis Mills, a 2021 third-round pick, showed flashes of promise but ultimately projects as a long-term backup rather than a franchise-lifting starter.
The expectation is that whoever is selected No. 2 will turn around a franchise that has been rebuilding for years.
In his first head coaching gig, Ryans was asked how he removes some of the weight of those expectations.
"I let them know from the start there is no pressure," he said. "That's it. I'm not putting pressure on a guy to come in and just because where you're picked in the draft, it's unfair to say that a guy is the leader of an organization and he hasn't played one snap for our team."
In theory, the Texans could allow their presumed rookie QB time to acclimate, opening the season with Mills or veteran Case Keenum under center. In practicality, that rarely happens, particularly with top-five picks, and given the makeup of Houston's roster, it would behoove the franchise's long-term success to get a rookie reps out of the gate.
Ryans noted that starting any QB depends on the player's mental makeup.
"With the quarterback position, it's all about the guy," he said. "We talk about a rookie quarterback, a veteran quarterback, it doesn't matter. What's the makeup of the guy? Is he worthy to start for your team? That's all that matters. It doesn't matter where the guy is in his career. Is he a rookie, third year, fourth year? Who is the best guy, the right guy for our team? We don't know that right now. We haven't lined up and went out and practiced football at all. We'll figure that out when the time comes."
