Deshaun Watson looks ready to start for Houston Texans

Deshaun Watson looks like he’s as pro ready as advertised given recent reports from the Houston Texans.

Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes will always be connected, rookie quarterbacks taken two spots apart by playoff-caliber teams with elite defenses. The Kansas City Chiefs scouted both, interviewed both and traded up 17 spots to take Mahomes over Watson, yet it looks like Watson will be the one starting earliest, given the lack of better options for the Houston Texans.

Fortunately Watson is looking the part so far for the Texans. According to head coach Bill O’Brien, Watson isn’t perfect, but he is an intelligent player and quick study who already brings a lot to the table.

"“For being a rookie, he’s wise beyond his years. He asks great questions in the morning meeting, and you can tell he’s studied the night before … We put a lot on his plate during the spring, and he handled it very well. He made mistakes, and he corrected them. You don’t see him make the same mistake twice. He can do a lot of things. He can operate our running game and in our passing game. He’s got a lot of athleticism. I don’t think we’ll have to limit him. Training camp and preseason games will be a big test.”"

This is nothing new about Watson, given the expectations fans had for him entering the NFL. Even when compared to Mitchell Trubisky, taken 10 spots before him by the Chicago Bears, the early word was that Watson was the most plug-and-play option for quarterback-needy teams in the NFL Draft. The Chiefs bypassed the most ready quarterback for perhaps the one with the greatest ceiling in the hopes of molding Patrick Mahomes into an elite quarterback. The presence of Alex Smith certainly allowed them to take that risk, giving the coaching staff time to work with Mahomes.

It will be interesting to follow the careers of both quarterbacks to see ultimately which team made the best decision and whether being ready immediately was the best thing or not.