Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will have a smorgasbord of options to throw to next season, but it’s one of the club’s least heralded wide receivers that Stroud is most impressed with.
While discussing his loaded receiving corps on Tuesday, Stroud specifically had high praise for John Metchie III, who is the fifth receiver on Houston’s depth chart.
Metchie, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
He missed his entire rookie campaign after being diagnosed with leukemia, but returned in 2023 to play 16 games. During his time on the field, Metchie logged 16 catches for 158 yards.
The 23-year-old spent three seasons at Alabama and enjoyed a terrific final season with the Crimson Tide, hauling in 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.
Perhaps Metchie can carve out a role in Houston’s dynamic offense in 2024.
The Texans Could be Beyond Frightening
The Texans were already scary last season with Nico Collins and Tank Dell as their top two receivers and Noah Brown serving as the tertiary option (until Dell went down with a season-ending injury).
But this offseason, Houston swung a trade for Stefon Diggs, giving the club arguably the deepest receiving corps in football.
Now, Dell is the third option and Brown has slid down to fourth. Metchie is a former second-round pick with tantalizing talent, and he is the No. 5 receiver. Think about that.
Additionally, the Texans have tight end Dalton Schultz and added running back Joe Mixon via trade.
Stroud was able to have one of the best rookie seasons ever last season, and that was without these new acquisitions and with Dell missing half the year.
Imagine how lethal he could be with all of these weapons at his disposal in 2024?
Of course, the game isn’t played on paper, and the Diggs trade could end up backfiring on the Texans if he ends up dissatisfied with his role (he certainly won’t get the same amount of targets he received with the Buffalo Bills). But if this all goes according to plan? Goodness, Houston will be frightening.
It won’t be easy for the Texans, who have to contend with a very competitive AFC South division and then have to deal with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. But based on the talent here, it would not be surprising to see Houston make a deep playoff run.
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