Analysts and fans alike had speculated over the last few weeks about which direction the Houston Texans would go with their first-round picks. When faced with the expected options of selecting a quarterback or picking a top defensive talent, the Texans decided they didn't want to choose, and nabbed both in back-to-back picks.
Houston first selected Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud to secure the future of the franchise at the position, and then moments later the Texans were back on the clock, having traded four picks to the Cardinals so they wouldn't miss out on highly touted Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson Jr.
Stroud said Thursday night that he "had a feeling" the Texans would try to make a move up to grab Anderson, but when he saw the screens indicating that the Texans had made the move up to No. 3, he was shocked.
"I had just been picked," he said, via TexansWire. "I was already juiced up, and I turned around and I was like, 'Hold up, the Texans are still up.' So, I said, 'Whoa, no way.'"
And in the green room across the building, Anderson was feeling similar emotions, brought on both by the Texans' bold move and by what it meant about how much the team wanted him.
"My heart had dropped," Anderson said, via the team website. "I had just seen Houston, Texas, pop up on my phone and I was like, 'They think you're that good to come up and trade and get you,' you know what I'm saying? It's just a big blessing."
Stroud had 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns in his prolific two years as Ohio State's starter, finishing as runner-up in Heisman Trophy voting each of those seasons. For a franchise that has not had any real consistency at the QB position since Deshaun Watson, the 21-year-old will have the opportunity to come in and play a major role in Houston's attempt at rebuilding.
On the other side of the ball, many considered Anderson to be the best player available in the draft, as his length and quickness off the edge translated into 34.5 sacks and 204 tackles in three seasons at Alabama.
Though the two have only been teammates for a day, they're already looking toward the next steps to help turn things around for the Texans, albeit from opposite sides of the ball.
The pair met during the draft process, including visiting the Texans at the same time, and developed a friendship over the course of the weeks and multiple run-ins. Both believe that that strong connection can only benefit the team, as they'll be able to work together as they prepare for the season ahead.
"I just feel like God be doing things for a reason. We've just been building this bond, building this thing over time, had to connect, and had to learn about each other," Anderson said. "Now, we're fixing to be teammates. So, it's fixing to be that much easier knowing how a person works and how his mindset is."
