When you look at the job Nick Caserio has done in Houston over the past five years, there’s a lot to like. He’s built a roster that’s not just competitive-it’s got star power.
Drafting All-Pros like Derek Stingley Jr. and Will Anderson Jr., landing impact veterans like Danielle Hunter, and pulling off a savvy trade for wide receiver Christian Kirk? That’s the kind of front office work that turns a team from rebuilding to playoff-ready.
But even the best GMs have blind spots, and for Caserio, it’s been the offensive line. Specifically, early-round investments up front haven’t paid off the way Houston hoped.
Since 2022, Caserio has used a top-two-round pick on an offensive lineman in each draft-four in total. And while there’s finally a glimmer of hope, the track record has been shaky at best.
Let’s break down how each of those picks has fared so far-and what it says about the Texans’ path forward.
2022: Kenyon Green (1st Round, 15th Overall - Texas A&M)
Caserio’s first swing at the offensive line came in 2022 with Kenyon Green, a versatile and decorated lineman out of Texas A&M. Green brought size (6'4", 323 lbs), experience, and a résumé that included All-American honors and starts at four different positions in his final college season. On paper, he looked like a plug-and-play interior lineman who could anchor the Texans’ line for years.
But the NFL transition wasn’t kind. Injuries piled up, and when he was on the field, the performance just didn’t match the expectations of a top-15 pick.
After just 25 games in Houston, the Texans moved on, shipping Green to the Eagles in exchange for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson this offseason.
It was a tough but necessary call, and a clear miss for Caserio.
2023: Juice Scruggs (2nd Round, 62nd Overall - Penn State)
A year later, Caserio dipped back into the draft pool with Juice Scruggs, a steady center out of Penn State. Scruggs had the leadership credentials-he was a team captain-and he brought solid size (6'3", 310 lbs) and experience to the table.
So far, Scruggs has been more of a role player than a reliable starter. He’s appeared in just 20 of a possible 51 games, with most of his action coming in 2024, when he started 13 games and helped stabilize the interior in front of C.J.
Stroud. Outside of that stretch, he’s been a depth piece.
Not a bust, but not quite the impact player you hope for in the second round either.
2024: Blake Fisher (2nd Round, 59th Overall - Notre Dame)
In 2024, Caserio went back to the well, this time selecting Blake Fisher out of Notre Dame. Fisher brought a unique pedigree-he was the first true freshman to start at left tackle in Notre Dame history, and he logged 25 starts at right tackle over the next two seasons.
In the NFL, Fisher has been a bit of a mixed bag. He’s started 15 of a possible 34 games, and while he’s shown flashes, he’s also become something of a gadget player.
The Texans used him in jumbo sets, occasionally lining him up as an extra tight end, but he also found himself at the center of the team’s ongoing struggles with illegal shifts and formations-a problem that plagued the offense throughout 2025. To be fair, not all of that falls on Fisher, but the inconsistency hasn’t helped his case.
Like Scruggs, he’s been more of a depth option than a foundational piece.
2025: Aireontae Ersery (2nd Round, 48th Overall - Minnesota)
Finally, in 2025, Caserio may have struck gold. The Texans traded up to grab Aireontae Ersery, a 6'6", 331-pound left tackle out of Minnesota.
Ersery brought everything you want in a lineman-size, strength, leadership, and a track record of durability. He started his final 38 college games, earned Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honors, and stepped into the NFL with confidence.
When free agent addition Cam Robinson went down, Ersery was called on to start-and he didn’t just hold his own. He took over the left tackle spot and never looked back, starting 16 games and providing the kind of stability Houston desperately needed. Among Caserio’s early-round O-line picks, Ersery stands alone as a clear success.
The Bigger Picture
So what’s the scorecard? Caserio is 1-for-4 when it comes to drafting offensive linemen early.
That’s a 25% hit rate-not ideal when you’re trying to build a wall in front of your franchise quarterback. And with C.J.
Stroud emerging as one of the league’s most promising young QBs, protecting him has to be priority No. 1.
The good news? The Texans are close.
The roster is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, and if Caserio can continue to build out the offensive line-through the draft, free agency, or both-Houston could be on the cusp of something special. The pieces are there.
Now it’s about putting it all together.
If Ersery is the new standard, the Texans may finally be turning the corner up front. And if Caserio can land one or two more hits in the trenches, that Super Bowl buzz in Houston might turn into something very real.