C.J. Stroud is one of the most impressive young quarterbacks in football, a 23-year-old leader of his franchise with two playoff wins in two NFL seasons. Stroud's success so far did not prevent the Houston Texans from selecting a quarterback on Saturday in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Houston selected Graham Mertz, 24, with its sixth-round selection (No. 197 overall) on Saturday. Why take a swing on a quarterback given Stroud's solidified presence with the Texans? General manager Nick Caserio explained Mertz's appeal in particular to close out the weekend.
"[Mertz] got a lot of playing experience, had some success at Wisconsin, then kind of went through the coaching transition there a little bit, and he felt like the best opportunity for him was at Florida," Caserio told the media at NRG Stadium in Houston.