Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio knows how he would grade the 2023 draft class.
The Texans brought in a nine-player group that includes twin first-rounders in quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson. Houston also found potential playmakers with receivers Tank Dell and Xavier Hutchinson. New coach DeMeco Ryans also got a key Alabama linebacker in Henry To’oTo’oo.
Some outlets have given the Texans a B grade for their work over the three-day event. Caserio is using a different set of letters.
“I/TBD — incomplete/to be determined,” Caserio said April 29. “That’s the reality of it. There will be 50,000 draft grades here tonight, tomorrow, what we did, what we didn’t do. I mean, based on what? These players haven’t done anything.”
What Caserio is more interested in is what the rookies can show throughout the offseason program as they acclimate to the speed of the NFL. There won’t be any hitting until training camp when the pads come on, but skill position players and even trench players can demonstrate their acumen for the Texans’ philosophies.
“We just try to add players that we think can help our football team in some capacity,” said Caserio. “Now that they’re here, they’ll determine what their role is. We can’t really get too caught up in that. I’m certainly not. Honestly, I don’t really care what the grades say. It doesn’t really affect anything that we do.”
The Texans are currently in Phase 2 of their offseason workout program, which consists of going at a walkthrough pace with individual and group drills. The offense and defense cannot line up against each other yet.
“I think the goal every year each step of the way is add players that we think have an opportunity to help us,” said Caserio. “Through that lens, hopefully we’ve done that. We’ll find out more when they actually are here and then when they actually get started in our program.”
