NFL Draft on ABC13: Houston makes 2 of 1st 3 picks in first round

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KTRK) -- The NFL never really stops, so the offseason continued with the draft that got underway Thursday night.

The Carolina Panthers chose Alabama's Bryce Young with the No. 1 overall pick, followed by a couple of Texans surprises.

At least one team has decided to address their quarterback situation by adding a veteran via trade. The New York Jets acquired veteran Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers earlier this week in a long-expected blockbuster deal that also has draft implications.

The Jets received Rodgers, the No. 15 overall pick and a fifth-rounder this year from the Packers. In exchange, Green Bay will get the 13th overall selection, a second-rounder (No. 42) and a sixth-rounder this year and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that can become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of plays for New York this season.

Here's more to know as the NFL draft wraps on Saturday:

When is the NFL Draft?

The draft is a three-day extravaganza in Kansas City, Missouri, that started Thursday night.

The first round is in the rear view. The second and third rounds were on Friday, and the fourth through seventh rounds are expected to go through 6 p.m. Saturday.

Houston Texans make moves

Texans general manager Nick Caserio gave fans a show very early in the first round, even though no one could see what the team was going to do after Young's selection.

After choosing Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud at No. 2, the Texans swooped in and made a deal with the Arizona Cardinals for their No. 3 pick.

Houston then selected Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr.

That's right, Houston's future was chosen in two of the first three picks of 2023.

So what did the Texans send? Houston entered Thursday with the No. 12 overall pick, which belonged to Arizona but was again swapped to Detroit. The Texans also sent a second-rounder this year and two picks within the first three rounds of next year's draft to the Cardinals.

Houston also got a fourth-round draft pick along with the No. 3 pick.

Quiet Thursday

Not every team has a draft pick in the first round. The Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers will sit the first night out unless they make a trade.

Four of the five teams are out of the first round because of trades. The one exception is the Dolphins. The NFL punished the franchise by taking away its 2023 first-round and 2024 third-round pick after a probe found the team tampered with quarterback Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton.

Big Draft for TEs, RBs?

The most loaded position in this draft might just be tight end. The record for tight ends drafted in the first round is three, most recently done in 2017. There is a chance that gets broken and more tight ends go in the first round than wideouts.

Notre Dame's Michael Mayer, Utah's Dalton Kincaid, Georgia's Darnell Washington and Oregon State's Luke Musgrave all have their fans and could be among those selected Thursday night.

The draft could also be a semi-renaissance for the running back spot. Texas' Bijan Robinson is one of the most coveted prospects at his position in the past decade. Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs, Texas A&M's Devon Achane, UCLA's Zach Charbonnet and Tulane's Tyjae Spears are also talented prospects.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.