A year after trading star quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns, the Houston Texans are hoping to make progress in their rebuilding project.
The franchise has been in existence for 21 seasons, yet they haven’t reached the AFC Championship Game yet.
Thursday marks a notable anniversary, as it was the date in 2002 that they had their first draft pick, and with that No. 1 pick they took quarterback David Carr from Fresno State University.
On this Day in 2002: The expansion #Texans team made their first ever Draft pick, taking Fresno State QB David Carr with the #1 pick.
Carr and the Texans won their Week 1 game, 19-10, vs. #Cowboys
Carr was then sacked a record 76 times as a rookie and left Houston in 2007. pic.twitter.com/qoK3FZCw5p
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 20, 2023
In his senior season at Fresno State, Carr threw for 4,839 yards and 46 touchdowns, and he was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
The Texans had high hopes for him as a pro signal-caller, but as a rookie he struggled, throwing more interceptions (15) than touchdown passes (nine), and he was sacked 76 times, which set an NFL record.
He wasn’t much better afterwards, as he was sacked more times than any other QB in both the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Carr moved on to the Carolina Panthers for the 2007 campaign, and the following year, he got a Super Bowl championship ring with the New York Giants as a backup to Eli Manning.
Many have considered Carr one of the biggest busts in draft history.
The Texans currently have the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, and many are expecting them to take a quarterback, although there is always the chance they opt for someone at a different position.
But with DeMeco Ryans, who was the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator the last two years, as their new head coach, they’re hoping to build a winning culture for years to come.
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NFL Insider Makes Prediction For Texans At No. 2 Overall
