You don’t even need to know how to spell “NRG” to know the Houston Texans blew it by taking David Carr over Julius Peppers.
According to Tyler Sullivan from CBS Sports, the Texans’ selection of the quarterback No. 1 overall was one of the biggest draft blunders, especially when the Carolina Panthers took the defensive end the very next selection.
Had the Texans elected to bolster their defense upon first entering the league, they likely would have found a little more success as the Carolina Panthers were able to select pass rusher Julius Peppers right after Carr. Peppers went on to have a tremendous career that wrapped up back in 2018. He was named to nine Pro Bowls over his career and is a member of the All-Decade Teams for both the 2000s and 2010s. Peppers also holds the NFL record for most forced fumbles of all time.
The 2002 NFL draft also had a strange No. 1 overall pick the same as 2023. Just as a team in possession of the No. 1 overall pick doesn’t win its last game on a fourth quarter comeback to lose the selection, so too do teams finishing 1-15 normally pick atop the draft order. That was not the case for the Panthers, who had to allow the Texans to cut to the top of the order.
What if the Texans end up with the better selection long-term this time?
Houston desires Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, but it appears the Panthers also want him as their signal caller under first-year coach Frank Reich.
The Texans could go with Young’s teammate, defensive end Will Anderson, at No. 2 overall in a move reminiscent of Houston taking Carr and Carolina taking Peppers.
The stakes were higher for Carolina and Houston in 2002 as neither team had an extra first-round pick. Conceivably the Texans can hedge their bets with another shot at quarterback with the No. 12 overall pick.