Christian Hackenberg's draft stock might've just taken a significant hit
There was talk that Christian Hackenberg and his former coach, Bill O’Brien, would have a reunion in the NFL. Some draft analysts had Hackenberg going No. 22 overall to O’Brien’s Houston Texans as their possible quarterback of the future.
That was believed by some experts to be Hackenberg’s only chance of getting selected in the first round.
But on the first day of free agency, the Texans signed their quarterback. According to multiple reports, the Texans signed free agent Brock Osweiler, who was considered the top quarterback available on the market.
Texans are giving Brock Osweiler a 4-year, $72 million deal, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2016
Osweiler threw for 11 touchdown passes and completed 61 percent of his passes in his seven games for the Super Bowl-champion Denver Broncos. He’s also only 25 years old, which would suggest that the Texans won’t be in the market for a quarterback in the first day or two of the draft.
That isn’t to say that O’Brien couldn’t still take a chance on Hackenberg, but it likely wouldn’t be as early as some experts projected. O’Brien told reporters at the combine that “Christian can throw the football, he’s got a strong arm, he’s a big guy, he’s smart, he was able to learn quickly when we had him at Penn State.”
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O’Brien also noted that he wasn’t sure if Hackenberg had starter ability in the NFL, and that very few people do. Apparently that group includes Osweiler.
There are still, however, plenty of teams in need of a quarterback that could look Hackenberg’s way. The former B1G Freshman of the Year could have Day 2 suitors if he impresses at his pro day.
Unfortunately for Hackenberg, it appears his most likely suitor doesn’t plan on making him their quarterback of the future.