When the Houston Texans drafted Deshaun Watson in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, his college coach Dab Sweeney claimed that the Texans has just drafted the NFL-version of Michael Jordan. Watson won a National Championship in college when Clemson beat Alabama and he looks like a star. However, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien has made it clear that his first-round draft position does not make him the starting quarterback in Houston and Tom Savage has that job heading into the 2017 NFL preseason.
The Texans quarterback battle
That makes sense because every position should be up for battle every year and Deshaun Watson has to prove his game will translate to the NFL.
Most rookies need time to develop and Tom Savage has already started games for the Texans. Despite the fact that Savage has yet to experience success as a starter in the NFL, he has one clear supporter in the No. 1 Houston Texans receiver Deandre Hopkins.
DeAndre Hopkins came into the NFL with a ton of talent and looked good enough for the Houston Texans to move on from their franchise leading receiver Andre Johnson. However, Hopkins numbers have dropped over the past two years as the Texans have never found a quarterback to hold the position, with numerous quarterbacks bouncing in and out of the starting lineup.
After his play at the end of the 2016 NFL season, which ended with a concussion, Tom Savage has earned the starting role with the Houston Texans according to DeAndre Hopkins.
When asked why, Hopkins said that he likes the leadership skills that Savage possesses. He even said that Tom was leading the team from the sidelines as well and he feels that Savage can excel as the starter.
The facts of this Texans battle
While Tom Savage might have leadership skills and has won over his top receiver in DeAndre Hopkins, that won’t really be enough barring a miracle.
The Houston Texans used their first overall draft pick on Deshaun Watson and they expect him to be their franchise quarterback for years to come. Of course, they will give Savage every chance to win the job this preseason. However, this is Watson’s job to lose when it comes to the future of the franchise.
When it comes to DeAndre Hopkins, he seems excited about the upcoming Houston Texans 2017 NFL season.
Outside of pointing out the Tom Savage leadership skills, he also loves the idea of having Wes Welker joining the team as an assistant coach. Welker was a star receiver for the New England Patriots for years and word is that he is making a difference when it comes to grooming the Houston receivers for a huge year.
