After three years, how did Houston do?
Within a month, the NFL Draft will be upon us all. Brace yourself for the “hawt taeks” industry, where instant grades are all the rage. Yet, in the NFL, it is a rule of thumb that it takes three years to determine if a draftee was effective. Drafting is far from an exact science. All teams go through this process, and so it is with the Texans. With the 2025 Draft upon us, it is a good time to look back at the 2022 class, as they have three seasons under their belt.
For context: The 2022 Draft was GM Nick Caserio’s first with a 1st or 2nd round pick. Actually, the team entered the draft with two 1sts, a benefit from the Deshaun Watson trade with Cleveland. The Texans finished 4-13, “good” enough for the 3rd pick. The team finished 2-2, with Davis Mills offering just enough to let Houston look at areas beyond QB. Given the state of the franchise and a very weak QB class, this draft offered roster flexibility. With that, time to review the Texans’ 2022 Draft Class:
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#3 pick (1st Round): CB Derek Stingley, Jr. (LSU)
Stingley, who came from a family of NFL players, brought immense coverage talent when healthy. After spending the off-season recovering from injury, Stingley’s rookie season did not thrill the fanbase. Houston’s then-zone coverage schemes did not mesh well with Stingley’s talents and mid-way through his rookie year, he had a single INT. Unfortunately, he missed the last part of his rookie season due to injury.
Bad enough that Stingley suffered injury and struggled to a scheme that didn’t fit him, but the rookie taken right after him (Cincinnati’s Sauce Gardner) delivered an All-Pro 1st Team performance at corner for the Jets. His sophomore campaign got off to a slow start (injury). However, once he returned to full time play, Stingley’s game took off. Over the next season and a half, he logged 10 INTs (2 in the playoffs) and rated among the best cover corners in the game. This past season saw Stingley’s first 1st Team All-Pro selection and a market-setting contract extension. Once a question mark, Stingley now rates as a cornerstone for the foreseeable future.
GRADE: A
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#15 (1st Round): G Kenyon Green (Texas A&M)
A few picks after Stingley, the draft started going off the rails with trades galore. Eventually, Houston settled in with the 15th pick in the draft and picked Kenyon Green. Some felt that Houston might have reached at this point, or missed out on better talent like Kyle Hamilton or Jordan Davis, but the run game needed all the help it could get. Green opened as the starter at left guard in 2022. but he generally underperformed. He, like Stingley, ended his rookie season on IR. He would also lose his entire sophomore season to injury.
Season 3 was critical for Green as he opened the year as the starting LG. Unfortunately, Green produced some of the worst guard play in the league. His mediocre run-blocking could not off-set his horrid pass-blocking, and a lack of interior pass protection hounded Houston’s offense all season. Once again, Green missed several games with injury, but even after he returned, he never saw the field again. Caserio traded Green and a 5th round pick to the Eagles for a 6th round pick and DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson early in the offseason. While Caserio hit on Stingley, he logged his first draft bust with Green.
GRADE: F
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Pick #37 (2nd): S Jalen Pitre (Baylor)
The second DB of the class, Pitre produced one of the best rookie seasons in Texans’ history. 5 INTs and 5 TFLs from the strong safety position showcased serious defensive playmaking potential. Yet, while Stingley took off under Ryans/Burke, Pitre suffered a brutal sophomore slump. He went the entire 2023 season sans INTs and was benched for performance/behavior at one point. Like Green, Pitre came into 2024 with some pressure to improve. While he never quite matched his play-making abilities of 2022, he did seem to better adapt to the defense, at least until he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. If he can bounce back in 2025, Pitre might return to his play-making potential.
GRADE: B-/C+
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Pick #44 (2nd): WR John Metchie III (Alabama)
Yet another 2022 draftee whose career faced significant injury barriers. Recovering from a torn ACL in the 2021 SEC Championship, Metchie didn’t expect to contribute much in 2022. Yet, not only did he have to rehab from a torn ACL, Metchie also had to deal with acute promyelocytic leukemia. By beating cancer’s [KITTEN], he already achieved a great victory. However, his on-field production has yet to live up to the 2nd round billing (67 receptions, 412 yards, 1 TD). He’s shown potential, and at one point last offseason, he drew some trade interest. However, coming into his 4th season, this will likely be his last chance in Houston.
GRADE: D+
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Pick #75 (3rd): LB Christian Harris (Alabama)
Harris’ time in Houston has gone a bit better than his compatriot Metchie. A bit undersized at LB, he did make a few plays for the Lovie Smith defense, but overall, his performance was solid but not spectacular. He started slow under the Ryans’ regime, but by the end of the 2023 season, Harris emerged as a major playmaker at the LB spot, highlighted by his stellar game against Cleveland in the Wild Card Round (1 sack, 1 INT for a TD, 8 total tackles/2 TFLs). Unfortunately, 2024 did not show upward improvement, as Harris missed all but three games due to injury. He may yet recapture his 2023 run, but with the Texans signing EJ Speed, perhaps his days in Houston could be numbered.
GRADE: C+
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Pick #107 (4th): RB Dameon Pierce (Florida)
A draft pick that really excited the Texans’ fanbase, this relatively little-used college runner offered an offensive spark for a team that really didn’t have much going on that side of the ball. His preseason performance showcased a violent style that promised to gain yards and crush defenders along the way. In 13 games during his rookie season, Pierce rushed for 939 yards and 4 TDs, garnering the “Angry Run of the Year” award. Inexplicably, he struggled in what was thought a running-back friendly system in 2023, only mustering 416 yards rushing and falling behind Devin Singletary on the depth chart. That Houston traded for Joe Mixon instead of giving the cost-effective veteran another chance showed how far Pierce’s stock fell. This past season, Pierce missed significant game time due to injury, but managed to recapture some of his old power, going for 176 yards in the regular season finale against Tennessee. To his credit, Pierce found a niche as a kick returner, running one back for a TD in 2023 and averaging over 37 yards a return in 2024. He’ll likely get one more year in Houston, but his 2025 performance as a running back will determine what path his career takes.
GRADE: B-
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Pick #150 (Round 5): DT Thomas Booker (Stanford)
Another defender for Houston. Booker was selected mainly as a depth piece, but offered a stellar balance of brains and playing ability. Given the state of Houston in 2022, he had plenty of opportunities to succeed. He played 10 games for Houston, logging 15 total tackles, 1 TFL and 0.5 sacks. Houston waived Booker before the start of the 2023 season. He immediately joined the Eagles on a futures contract. He did not play in 2023, but joined the rotation of Eagles defensive linemen in 2024, totaling 18 tackles, 2 TFLs and 1 sack for the Super Bowl Champions.
GRADE: C-
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Pick #170 (Round 5): TE Teagan Quitoriano (Oregon State)
Quitoriano came to Houston as another rotational player, offering some run-blocking and some receiving ability. His first catch in the NFL resulted in a 2-yard TD against the Eagles on a Thursday Night game in 2022. and he finished his rookie season with 7 receptions for 113 yards and 2 TDs. That was the high-water mark for his career. He missed most of 2023 due to injury, only logging 2 receptions for 33 yards. In 2024, he began his odyssey of bouncing between teams. Houston waived him before the 2024 season, and he spent a few weeks on the Chicago Bears practice squad, only for Houston to reclaim him in mid-October. He remained with Houston the rest of the season, but did not record a reception. This off-season, Houston waived Quitoriano, who landed on the Falcons’ roster.
GRADE: D-
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Pick #205 (Round 6): T Austin Deculus (LSU)
What does it say that a 6th round tackle that only logged 13 games for Houston over 3 seasons might have been the best offensive lineman taken in this class? Seen as a potential swing tackle, Deculus spent his first season in the league on the Houston roster, playing in five games. He was waived at the end of camp in 2023, but brought back on the Houston practice squad, where he played in seven games before being waived by Houston later in the season. Deculus spent time on the Jets’ and Saints’ rosters, but did not log any snaps with either organization. Towards the end of the 2024 season, Houston brought back Deculus, where he played in the final game against Tennessee. As of this writing, Deculus remains on the Houston roster.
GRADE: D+/C-
Overall: Houston came away from this draft with nine players, all of whom logged actual game snaps for the Texans. Caserio’s 1st round selections represent the best and worst of this class, as Stingley is a franchise player, but Green a certified bust. Pitre and Pierce offered great rookie seasons, but suffered significant sophomore slumps. Injuries plagued most of this class. It is unfortunate that Harris missed much of 2024 as he seemed primed for a major breakout. Metchie already won at life, but can he ever live up to that second round status? Six players remain on the roster, and all are still in the league at least. Compared with the previous three classes, 2022 showed that Houston could at least up its draft game.
Overall Grade for the 2022 Class: B-
However, this is but one view of the 2022 class. No doubt you have your own opinion. With that in mind, feel free to let the internet know your grade in a respectful manner below.