A new regime takes command Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium when the Houston Texans take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.
The 2023 rookie class is expected to be the core that completes the rebuild. Lofty picks on both sides of the ball have been made to elevate the roster and give Houston a foundation to compete for AFC South titles once more as opposed to avoiding last place finishes.
Buy Texans TicketsStarting this season, Texans Wire will speak to three rookies per week as they gear up for game day.
Ahead of their first career game, defensive end Will Anderson, receiver Xavier Hutchinson, and receiver Tank Dell made themselves available to field questions.
Favorite pre-game meal
“Scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, and French toast.” — Anderson
“Fried rice with shrimp and steak.” — Hutchinson
“I really didn’t have a pre-game meal until I got drafted. During the three preseason, I have been eating pasta a lot.” — Dell
Pre-game song
“Headlines” by Drake (also enjoys ’90s R&B) — Anderson
“No Flockin” by Kodak Black — Hutchinson
“Shock the World” by Rod Wave and “Signs” by Kodak Black — Dell
Reflective moment of making it in the NFL
“When I first got to OTAs and worked out with the team, I look back and say to myself, ‘Bro, you have put in all this work and made so many steps.’ I see the improvement in my game from working hard. I know what to do, what to expect, so I will go out there and let loose and let it all go.” — Anderson
“I am just going to be thankful to a lot of the people who sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position. My family, first and foremost, and all the things I went through just to get to this point. I didn’t have the easiest road. I could have easily given up on myself and lost confidence in myself, but I kept striving. I have just been really blessed and happy. I was a little five-year-old who had those big dreams of playing at the highest level of football you can play in.” — Hutchinson
“The main thing for me is to be me, play confident, and at the end of the day, this is still a grown-man game, but a little kid sport. I just want to have fun. That is my main thing, is to have fun. Take the good with the good and the bad with the bad, and try to remove the bad as much as you can. At the end of the day, have fun and be confident. It is football. Every play is not going to be perfect, but don’t let that dictate the rest of your game. Be confident in every play.” — Dell
Game day conversation
“My momma. She always gets me going by sending a message or calling. My mom is my ‘Day Starter.’ To have a mom like that who is supportive really helps me out a lot. She is my go-to.” — Anderson
“I have three people I love to hear from the most before a game, and that is my mom, my brother, and my girlfriend. She [girlfriend] knows how to trigger something in my mind. Her words are, ‘Eat or be eaten.'” — Hutchinson
“My momma. She calls every game. Being from Florida, she doesn’t get to go to every game, but she does FaceTime me. I also get a chance to see my little brothers. So, once I see them, that gives me motivation. They are happy for me and say, “I need you to score a touchdown for me.” — Dell
