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NFL Draft 2017: Houston Texans first-round grade

By John Buhler

Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks to the bench against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks to the bench against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Houston Texans trade up from No. 25 to draft Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson at No. 12. Here is the grade for the Texans’ first-round pick.

There has been a lot of trades in the 2017 NFL Draft for teams to move up to get quarterbacks. The Chicago Bears went from No. 3 to No. 2 to take Mitchell Trubisky out of North Carolina. Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes went No. 10 to the Kansas City Chiefs after a deal with the Buffalo Bills. Now the Houston Texans moved up from No. 25 to No. 12 to select Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Watson was the most prolific passer in this 2017 NFL Draft. He won the 2016 National Championship as the star signal caller for Clemson. Watson was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist and played in back-to-back national titles against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Since it was very difficult for teams to determine what his NFL prototype was in addition to throwing a lot of picks in college, Watson inevitably became the third quarterback of draft class to be selected.

He will have an opportunity to compete right away for the starting job with Tom Savage. Houston has never had a prototypical franchise quarterback in the organization’s brief history. Matt Schaub remains the best quarterback to have ever played for the Texans. Watson has the potential to be everything that David Carr wasn’t.

Houston had a Super Bowl caliber roster sans quarterback before Watson’s selection. Not to say he will have a Dak Prescott level rookie season for the Texans, but he’s now the clear favorite to be NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. If his partnership with head coach Bill O’Brien is sound, Houston could be a juggernaut in the AFC South for years to come.

Next: 2017 NFL Draft: Instant grades

Expect Watson to play with a boulder on his shoulders since Trubisky and Mahomes went ahead of him. All that does is fuel his fire and that is to the benefit of the Texans franchise.

Grade: A+

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