The Houston Texans only other first round quarterback, David Carr, didn’t have much success his rookie year. For that very reason, the Texans franchise records for rookie quarterbacks are well within reach. Now, 15 years later, the Texans are bringing in Deshaun Watson as only the second quarterback to be drafted in the first round by the Texans. Although there is plenty of speculation on whether or not he will be named the starter, Watson should have no problem shattering records as a rookie quarterback for the Texans. Here’s a look at some of the Houston Texans rookie records that Deshaun Watson will break in 2017.
Houston Texans Rookie Records That Deshaun Watson Will Break in 2017
Passing Yards and Touchdowns by a Rookie Quarterback
The first quarterback to ever be drafted by the Houston Texans was David Carr. The former number one overall pick currently holds the record for most passing yards by a rookie quarterback for the Texans with 2,592 yards. Carr also holds the record for most passing touchdowns by a rookie with nine. In the 2017 NFL Draft, Houston drafted a quarterback, Deshaun Watson, in the first round for the first time since drafting Carr in 2002.
Watson should have no problem becoming the starter as the Texans head into the regular season. With weapons like DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller, and Braxton Miller, Watson should find some success in the passing game. In his senior year at Clemson, Watson threw for 4,593 yards and 41 touchdowns. It’s not reasonable to expect Watson to come in and put up similar numbers his rookie year, but he should be able to surpass the current mark set by Carr.
I predict Watson will easily reach 3,000 passing yards this season and should throw around 18 touchdown passes. These numbers will easily break the Texans franchise record for passing yards and touchdowns by a rookie quarterback.
Rushing Yards and Touchdowns by a Rookie Quarterback
This one is a bit of a no-brainer. David Carr also owns this franchise record with 282 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Carr simply wasn’t the athlete that Watson is. In his three seasons at Clemson, Watson averaged over 600 yards rushing per season. It’s a little extreme to beleive he can come in to the NFL and get the same numbers but, he should be able to achieve 300 yards rushing, at least. Along with gaining yards on the ground, Deshaun Watson will be a big threat in the red zone and should be able to rush for four or five touchdowns, if not more.
Wins by a Rookie Quarterback
Again, this record is held by David Carr and it’s a relatively easy record to break. In Carr’s rookie season, the Texans won only four games. Deshaun Watson could have a losing season, five wins, and still break this record. One of the traits that made Watson stand out from the crowd was his proven ability to win games. In his three years at Clemson, Watson won 32 games and only lost three. Obviously, the NFL is a big step up and a much more difficult slate of games for the rookie quarterback, however, nine, or ten, wins should be obtainable this season.
