The Houston Texans selected Penn State center Juice Scruggs No. 62 overall in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL draft Friday night.
The Texans already have three offensive linemen on the roster with center experience in Michael Deiter, Jimmy Morrissey, and Scott Quessenberry, who started 16 games for Houston last season.
General manager Nick Caserio pointed out that while Scruggs may be a second-round selection, the competition throughout the offseason program and training camp will clarify just where he can help the team.
“The competition is going to sort itself out about how he fits,” Caserio said. “I would say in his particular case he has some flexibility, probably more than just a center.”
The Texans have two guard spots locked down with Shaq Mason and Kenyon Green. Center is the question mark. However, versatility will be key for any reserve offensive lineman, including Scruggs.
“When you look at overall positional value and what they provide, that’s part of the overall evaluation,” Caserio said. “I think in Juice’s case, it’s probably more center than guard, but if he had to go there and play guard, looks like he’d be competitive. Other than having your hand on the ball, it’s some of the same things that are going to go on inside. The more you can maybe identify guys and have position inside versatility, it’s going to enhance the value of the group and in turn enhance the value of the team.”
The last time the Texans had a rookie play center was in 2021 with Morrissey, who was snapping to rookie quarterback Davis Mills. Houston could see a similar rookie tandem if Scruggs wins the starting job and first-round quarterback C.J. Stroud wins the starting quarterback role.
