Houston Texans Meet Top Quarterback Prospects Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes
Looks like Tom Savage may soon have some competition for the starting job.
NFL.com has reported that the Houston Texans have brought in Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes II and Clemson's Deshaun Watson for pre-draft visits this week. According to CBS Sports, both quarterback prospects are expected to be taken in the first two rounds of the draft. The Texans have the 25th and 57th overall picks.
Interestingly USA Today's Tom Pelissero has heard that Texans coach Bill O'Brien really likes what he has seen in Mahomes.
"A lot of BS flies this time of year, but file this away: One NFL coach who's done homework on all the top QBs told me the word is O'Brien absolutely loves the cannon-armed Mahomes," Pelissero said in his report.
Mahomes is definitely talented and he has tremendous upside, but he is extremely raw. He will need time to develop behind Savage and Brandon Weeden if the Texans decide to use their pick on him.
Watson may also need time to polish his game in the pros, but wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins believes his fellow Clemson alum is going to do well in the big leagues.
"You know, I'm a Clemson guy so I'm a little biased. As an organization, they know who we need more so than my biased opinion would say who I want. Wherever he goes, I know he'll do fine. You win Quarterback of the Year back-to-back, you get snubbed of the Heisman," Hopkins said, according to the Houston Chronicle. "In my eyes, he's a Heisman quarterback," he added.
The problem here is that Mahomes and Watson may no longer be available when the Texans are on the clock with the 25th overall pick. There are a lot of quarterback-needy teams selecting before they do like the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills.
But if one of them slips down the board, the Texans will seriously consider using their pick on him.