The Houston Texans pulled off one of the most impressive and quick turnarounds in NFL history in the 2023 season. After winning only 11 games combined in the last three seasons and turning into the laughingstock of the league, they are now back on top of the AFC South.
The Texans went 10-7 in the regular season, defeating the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18 to secure their first division crown since the 2019 season. They are now preparing for a Divisional Round matchup against the Baltimore Ravens after dismantling the Cleveland Browns 45-14 during Super Wild Card Weekend.
First-team head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud have garnered a lot of attention and praise for turning things around so quickly. While they are the central figures in the Texans getting back on track, this was a total team effort to turn things around so quickly.
NFL News & Rumors: Rome Odunze, 2024 NFL Draft, Houston Texans Updates
Houston has a strong foundation in place with its roster, as Will Anderson Jr. is the cornerstone defensively as Stroud is on offense. This is a team on the rise that doesn’t look like it will be slowing down any time soon.
Given their surprisingly rapid rise to contention, the Texans’ game plan for the 2024 offseason has likely changed compared to what many people believed to be on the horizon coming into the season. While they want to win now, they still have an eye toward the future.
Despite trading their 2024 first-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals to select Anderson No. 3 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Texans will still be picking in the first round this year. They own the Browns’ pick courtesy of the Deshaun Watson trade.
Who could Houston target with their selection? In the opinion of Trevor Sikkema of PFF, Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze is the perfect 2024 NFL Draft prospect for the team in the first round.
“The Texans look like they hit a home run with quarterback C.J. Stroud. The next step is continuing to build the receiver corps to dominate the passing game. Odunze has the talent to be WR1 in other draft classes. The way he can run routes at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds is so impressive. Plus, his contested catch numbers got even better in 2023. He and Stroud would truly be a perfect QB-WR connection,” Sikkema wrote.
NFL News & Rumors: Rome Odunze, 2024 NFL Draft, Houston Texans Updates
Stroud immediately helped Nico Collins turn into a star wide receiver, as his 2023 stats are better than his 2021 and 2022 campaigns combined. Rookie third-round pick Tank Dell was also having an excellent season before a season-ending injury suffered in Week 12 against the Denver Broncos.
Adding Odunze to that duo would give the Texans by far the best young wide receiver trio in the NFL. They would be able to pick opponents apart at every level of the defense as Collins, Dell and Odunze all have different strengths to bring to the table.
Stroud dominated as a rookie with an unfinished group of skill position players around him. Bringing in another high-upside youngster such as Odunze would elevate this group to another level.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
