San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Caserio rounds out first draft class as GM
HOUSTON — After the Texans selected Stanford quarterback Davis Mills with their first draft choice, general manager Nick Caserio was asked how that decision would impact Deshaun Watson.
Mills joins Watson, Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Finley on the roster. Watson is expected to be traded sometime after he’s resolved the 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual harassment and assault. Nobody knows when that will be.
“We felt that was the best decision for our team at the time, so it doesn’t impact anybody,” Caserio said. “Our philosophy has been to create as much competition as possible, and we’ll continue to do that.”
On Friday, the second day of the draft, the Texans added competition at quarterback and wide receiver. Mills was drafted with the third pick in the third round, 67th overall.
Mills (6-4, 217) played in 14 games in college and made only 11 starts, including six in 2020 because of Stanford’s reduced season caused by COVID-19.
“(He) played in a good offensive system, played for a good coach (David Shaw), has pretty good size, fairly accurate with the ball, smart (and) makes fairly good decisions,” Caserio said.
Mills will be given time to develop behind Taylor, the projected starter. Because Caserio traded with Cincinnati for Finley, he’ll begin as Taylor’s backup.
After drafting Mills, Caserio traded back into the third round, 89th overall, to select Michigan receiver Nico Collins. The Texans thought so highly of Collins that Caserio traded three picks to Carolina to get him.
The Texans traded fourth- and fifth-round picks on Saturday as well as a fourth-round selection in 2022 to get Collins, an outside receiver who’s 6-4, 215.
“There’s some qualities we like,” Caserio said. “He’s got good size, runs well (has) good hands (and) catches the ball well. He’s got good playing strength.
“We’ve added some players that have maybe a little more size relative to where it was. You’re going to need different types of players that can complement one
another. It’s going to be about the competition, and we’ll let the players sort out what their role is.”
The Texans entered Saturday, the last day of the draft, with five picks, beginning in the fifth round. They’re expected to focus on defense.
“Every player has physical attributes relative to the position they play, and there’s ways for players to improve, and that’s our responsibility as a staff to try to maximize whatever they have,” Caserio said. “Some will make more progress quicker than others. There’s no set formula for
any particular player. Whatever attributes they have, that’s a good starting point.
“This is a long process. Each player is at a different stage, and our job is to kind of shepherd them as best we can. They have a responsibility to try to become the best player they can for our organization, and that’s all we can ask of the players.”
Texans fans had a good idea Caserio would make trades during his first draft as general manager.
After drafting tight end Brevin Jordan in the fifth round, Caserio swapped the 203rd and 212th overall picks to Buffalo for the 174th pick. Then he sent the 174th and 233rd picks to the Los Angeles Rams for the 170th selection
and took his first defensive player, TCU linebacker Garret Wallow, in the fifth round. He’s the first draft choice added to new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s 4-3.
Wallow, 6-2, 230, was a threeyear starter for the Horned Frogs.
Because of the trades, the Texans’ last pick on Saturday was Arizona defensive tackle Roy Lopez in the sixth round.
Texans concluded their draft with five players for the second consecutive year.
Caserio entered the draft with eight choices but made trades to move up in the third and fifth rounds.
Lopez, 6-2, 318, is built like a nose tackle. He began his career at New Mexico State, suffered a leg injury that ruined most of his 2019 season, then transferred to Arizona, where he started five games last season. He’ll compete for playing time at an inside position under Smith.