There’s no doubt that C.J. Stroud has lived up to and surpassed the draft hype of being the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Stroud has broken numerous records this year as the Texans’ signal-caller. Stroud now holds the record for the most pass attempts without an interception to start a career with 192 attempts, breaking 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Dak Prescott’s record of 176 attempts. Stroud also holds the record for most passing yards in a game as a rookie, with 470 yards, and tied the record for the most touchdown passes thrown in a game as a rookie with five.

Record-shattering success aside, Stroud has led the Texans to a positive record and a playoff win, their first since 2019. The NFL’s Offensive ROTY award has seen more quarterbacks in the past years with Justin Herbert and Kyler Murray in 2020 and 2019 respectively as well as Prescott in 2016. Those three quarterbacks in their rookie year either set NFL records or turned a negative record into a positive one. Stroud (9-6) has established himself as the best rookie quarterback with the best record over fellow rookie quarterbacks like Bryce Young (2-14), Anthony Richardson (2-2) and Will Levis (3-6) while setting league records.

Stroud’s only competition for the award is Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. Nacua himself has been record-breaking. He broke the 63-year-long record of receiving yards for a rookie with 1486 and Jaylen Waddle’s 2021 rookie receptions record of 104 by one for a season total of 105 receptions. However, Nacua is only a receiver, and his overall contribution to the team dwindles in comparison to Strouds. The Rams had a slew of playmakers that had already established the Rams as a playoff team. They’ve had a loaded offense behind established players like Pro Bowl quarterback Matthew Stafford and 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp who brought the Rams a Super Bowl in 2021 as well as star sophomore running back Kyren Williams. The quarterback is the most important piece of a team’s offense as they have to make the most decisions for the team in the course of a game. The Rams’ offense can function without Nacua, but the Texans’ offense without Stroud showed little promise, displaying his greater impact to the team. 

Will Anderson Jr. has established himself as a legitimate Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. The Texans shocked the football world in a blockbuster trade when they traded up to the third overall pick. However, even as a rookie, Will Anderson Jr. has already proven himself to be a cornerstone to the Texans’ franchise. As the highest-drafted defensive player and 3rd overall pick in the 2023 draft, Anderson had massive expectations going into September. Alabama’s former edge rusher finished the season with 7 sacks, 45 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and a blocked kick. His 26% pass rush win rate, the ability to beat a blocker within 2.5 seconds, ranks third overall among edge rushers this season, only second to the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons and three-time All-Pro-Bowler, Myles Garret. 

He’s shown out multiple times to give the Texans momentum in key games. A blocked field goal against the Jaguars in a division matchup led to a touchdown in the next drive. His tipped pass in Week 13 led to a defensive interception for the Texans to keep playoff hopes alive. 

Anderson’s biggest challenger for the award is Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the 9th overall pick of the draft. Carter trails Anderson in most categories due to the nature of his position, as defensive edges average more sacks and a higher pass rush win rate than defensive tackles. Carter only has one less sack than Anderson and has recorded two forced fumbles, two more than Anderson. However, his 16% pass rush win rate pales compared to Anderson’s. Carter’s overall defensive presence has lowered in the past six weeks as the Eagles have gone 1-5 compared to the Texans’ 4-2 record, giving Anderson a shot at taking the award.

The hometown hero has returned. Demeco Ryans, a Texans linebacker from 2006-2011, is the first rookie head coach to make the playoffs with a rookie quarterback since 2012. Ryans shifted the team narrative, transforming a 3-13-1 team into a 10-7 juggernaut. His background as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator has come to light as the Texans turned from a team that allowed 24.3 points a game to 20.8. For reference, Bill O’Brien’s 2022 Texans ranked 25th in points allowed per game, while Ryans’ defense came in at 11th this season.

The argument for Ryans is furthered by a growing trend in the previous Coach of the Year winners: rookie coaches bringing bottom-tier teams with a losing record into the playoffs in a single year. Brian Daboll did this last season in 2022, as did Kevin Stafanski in 2020, Matt Nagy in 2018 and Sean McVay in 2017. Demeco Ryans fits strongly into his mold, improving his case for Coach of the Year. 

Ryans should be the frontrunner for the award because he has led to the biggest change in team culture. Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski, Ryans’s biggest competition for the award, already made the playoffs three seasons ago; in those three seasons, the Texans went a combined 11-38-1 before Demeco’s hiring. Stefanski and the Browns already know what success looks like, the Texans before Ryans knew nothing about winning. Ryans took a team filled with numerous rookie and sophomore starters and turned them into contenders.