Texans would hold pick Nos. 1 and 12 in 2023 NFL draft

Picking in the top-12 isn’t so bad.

That is where the Houston Texans would have two selections if the 2023 NFL draft were held based on the results of Week 17. The Texans’ proprietary pick would warrant them the No. 1 overall choice due to their 2-13-1 record. Houston’s trade with the Cleveland Browns gave them the organization’s first-round pick, and currently it rests at No. 12 overall.

Having the No. 1 overall pick would allow the Texans to take the best quarterback of the draft class, whether it is Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. The 12th overall pick would help Houston find a player who can take some pressure off of their rookie quarterback, whether by beefing up the defense or providing another weapon on offense.

Coach Lovie Smith told reporters Monday his goal is to beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18 and not worry about the No. 1 overall pick.

“I’ve been asked this question a few weeks because we’ve been in that role,” Smith said. “I understand it. We’ve been trying to win for a long period of time, every game. None of that has changed. That’s why there is disappointment in what happened [in Week 17 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars]. We’re going to go to work this week and do everything we possibly can to win this last game.”

General manager Nick Caserio had two first-round picks in the 2022 draft and used No. 3 overall to take cornerback Derek Stingley from LSU and guard Kenyon Green from Texas A&M with the No. 15 overall pick.