For the first time since he arrived in Houston, C.J. Stroud is facing real scrutiny. The glow of early promise has dimmed after a disappointing 2025 playoff run, in which the offense stalled at critical moments, and expectations went unmet. Could they look to the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft to improve their situation?
Texans Could Add Sawyer Robertson to Push C.J. Stroud
That uncertainty is already shaping draft conversations. League insiders believe the Houston Texans could target a college quarterback who has accounted for 69Â touchdown passes.
Whether it is genuine competition or quiet contingency planning, Houston is not willing to stand still. And if the trajectory does not shift quickly, the Texans appear ready to invest in another arm in the 2026 NFL Draft.
According to a 2026 NFL Mock Draft by PFSN draft analyst Ian Cummings, Baylor Bears quarterback Sawyer Robertson could be the next QB to compete with Stroud in the 2026 NFL season. Throughout his college career, he finished with 61 passing touchdowns. On top of that, he also added 8 rushing touchdowns. Per the mock draft, he could be the 243rd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Throughout his college career, he threw for 7,639 yards and 61 passing touchdowns with 25 interceptions. He completed 605 of 1,000 passes, posting a 60.5 percent completion rate and a 139.8 passer rating. After limited action with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2022, he transferred to Baylor.
In 2024, Robertson broke out with 3,071 yards and 28 touchdowns. He followed that with 3,681 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2025. He also added 316 rushing yards and 8Â rushing touchdowns, showing mobility and red zone effectiveness.
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His mobility adds another layer, especially in today’s NFL, where off-script creation matters. If Houston wants more movement, more designed runs, or deeper vertical shots, that profile naturally creates competition.
In the 2025 NFL regular season, Stroud played in 14 games and continued to lead the offense as the team’s starter. He completed 273 of his 423 pass attempts, finishing with a 64.5 percent completion rate while throwing for a total of 3,041 passing yards, which came out to roughly 217.2Â yards per game.
Stroud tossed 19 touchdown passes compared to 8 interceptions and averaged 7.2 yards per attempt, showing steady efficiency throughout the year. And he ended the season with a 92.9 passer rating and was sacked 23 times, totaling 189 yards in losses. Overall, his production placed him around the middle tier of NFL quarterbacks in most major statistical categories for the 2025 campaign.
After a tough 2025 playoff stretch where the offense struggled in key moments, doubts started creeping in for Stroud. Inconsistent protection, play-calling, and execution may share blame. There are also broader concerns.
Has he elevated the offense in high-leverage games? Is he consistently beating playoff-level defenses? Can he create when structure breaks down? If the answers are mixed, front offices start doing homework.
This does not mean Houston is giving up on Stroud. It means they cannot afford complacency at the most important position in sports. But, surely, drafting or seriously evaluating another productive college quarterback is pressure insurance.
