Texans GM: Davis Mills selection 'doesn't impact anybody'
With star quarterback Deshaun Watson's future in limbo, the Houston Texans selected Stanford passer Davis Mills with their first pick in the third round.
Watson's status remains unclear as he currently faces 22 civil lawsuits from women accusing him of sexual assault and harassment. Houston police and the NFL league office are investigating the allegations. Prior to his legal situation, Watson requested to be traded after voicing his displeasure with the direction of the franchise.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio downplayed Mills' selection as a statement on the club's quarterback situation.
"It's just part of the team-building process," Caserio said, according to Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. "I wouldn't say there was any one specific factor, or any one particular thing that goes into it ... When it came time to pick at 67, we felt like that was the best decision for our team at the time. It doesn't impact anybody. Again, our whole philosophy has been to create as much competition as possible and we'll continue to do that."
The rookie quarterback could ultimately project to be a future face of the franchise. Mills was a two-year starter at Stanford and passed for 3,468 yards and 18 touchdowns during his collegiate career.
The Texans did not have a pick in the first two rounds of the draft following their 2019 trade to acquire left tackle Laremy Tunsil from the Miami Dolphins.
The rookie signal-caller now joins veteran options Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Finley on the Texans' depth chart.