Mock draft season is in full swing as we are now less than a week away from the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Much of the discourse this offseason has been about which quarterback the Texans prefer with the No. 2 pick. However, as we approach the draft, more rumors have circulated about the Texans not selecting a QB at all. 

ESPN NFL writer Matt Miller released a new mock, and he is buying into the rumors of the Texans not going for a QB. 

It is generally accepted that Bryce Young will be the No. 1 pick. Miller agrees and has the Carolina Panthers landing the star QB. At No. 2, however, Miller has the Texans selecting a defensive star. 

Will Anderson Jr. is the pick for Houston, immediately giving new head coach DeMeco Ryans a star defender to build a defense around. Regarding the Anderson pick, Miller said the following:

When filling out a mock draft, you try to balance intel with logic. The intel surrounding this pick says that the Texans will select Anderson. One team source told me the only player the Texans met with twice during the pre-draft process was the Alabama edge rusher. But the current quarterback depth chart features Davis Mills and Case Keenum, and you would think the Texans would be all-in on the most important position in sports. Ohio State's C.J. Stroud was arguably the best QB in college football the past two seasons and operates beautifully from the pocket.

Miller included an interesting nugget about Anderson being the only prospect that the Texans have met with twice. This could just be due diligence, but it could also be a key indicator of interest. Ryans was an Alabama linebacker himself, so this could increase interest. 

Miller continued:

But again, mocks are based on what we're hearing and not what we would do if we were making the picks ourselves. If the Panthers don't take Young, I expect Houston would go QB. Otherwise, Anderson would be an immediate help on a defense looking for playmakers off the edge.

Miller mentioned that the Texans would likely take Young if he does not go No. 1. This implies that Young is the only QB that the Texans' brass feels comfortable drafting that high. With Young off the board, Miller is hearing that the team will go for the best available player, which some believe is Anderson. 

Anderson would certainly upgrade one of the worst defenses from 2022. The star edge rusher had a storied college career, ending his tenure with 34.5 sacks and 58.5 tackles for loss over three seasons in Tuscaloosa.