The Houston Texans turned to youth to bolster their running back corps in the 2022 NFL draft.
The Texans selected fourth-rounder Dameon Pierce from Florida. The 5-10, 215-pound bruiser is expected to give the Texans welcomed production that comes with adding fresh legs to a backfield.
Projecting forward, the Texans’ running back stable is still pretty old when Rex Burkhead, 32, and Marlon Mack, 26, are factored in. The Texans may still need to add younger backs to the roster in 2023.
Enter Texas A&M running back Devon Achane. According to Michael Renner, the blur from Missouri City ranks No. 17 on Pro Football Focus’ list of draft prospects from the SEC.
Achane is the fastest running back in the country. Unlike most speedsters, though, he has some other tricks up his sleeve. He possesses tremendous contact balance and has broken 53 tackles on 173 career carries. But like most speedsters, Achane is undersized for the position. His listed 185 pounds is a tough sell for a starting running back at the next level.
The Texans don’t need Achane to be a feature back; they presumably have one in Pierce. They just need Achane to provide another dimension to the run game and give Pierce a reasonable partner in the backfield.
Isaiah Spiller was the dominant back for the Aggies in 2021 with 179 carries for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns. However, Achane had three more rushing touchdowns than Spiller, and was productive on the ground himself with 130 carries for 910 yards, a 7.0 yards per carry.
Given the ages of Burkhead and Mack, the Texans may be forced to get additional backs when building their 2023 roster. Rather than use capital in free agency to add more veterans, the Texans could use their munificent draft resources to invest in a younger running back stable.
