C.J. Stroud should be happy with the Houston Texans' draft through the first two days. With their recent selections, Stroud is poised for an MVP run as he heads into his third campaign.
In the second round of the draft, the Texans added wide receiver Jayden Higgins and offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery. Houston took another receiver in the third round as they selected Jaylin Noel.
Higgins is coming off a great year at Iowa State, where he had 87 receptions for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns. He will continue to line up next to Noel, as they were teammates at Iowa State. Noel had 80 receptions for 1,194 yards and nine touchdowns in the 2024 season.
With the added weapons, Stroud now has a receiving core of Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, Higgins, and Noel. They will also have wide receiver Tank Dell back at some point as he recovers from a major knee injury.
Stroud will also have tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Joe Mixon as weapons on offense.
In the 2024 season, Stroud completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. It was a regression from his rookie season, but with three new receivers joining the team, including Kirk from a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Stroud is set up for success.
The addition of Ersery at tackle is also a great addition, as Stroud was the second-most sacked quarterback in the 2024 season. Adding to the offensive line after trading away Laremy Tunsil and Kenyon Green was pivotal.
With Ersery and free agent signings Cam Robinson and Trent Brown, Stroud should have more time in the pocket to deliver the ball downfield.
Stroud has proven to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL through his first two seasons. He has led the Texans to back-to-back Divisional Round appearances.
In his rookie campaign, Stroud won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and finished eighth in MVP voting. With added weapons to a dynamic offense and more protection for Stroud, he is poised for an MVP run in the 2025 season.
