The Houston Texans have been “doing their homework” on quarterback Hendon Hooker, according to a new report from Peter King. King mocked Hooker to the Texans with the No. 12 overall selection in his latest mock draft. Picking Hooker at No. 12 would be a bit rich, but the Texans could identify Hooker as their preferred target at quarterback.

The closer we get to the draft, the likelier it appears the Texans will pass on a quarterback with the second overall pick. Those rumors have been picking up steam in recent weeks from legitimate sources. It was an unfathomable scenario over one month ago that’s now the favored outcome. With the Carolina Panthers expected to draft Bryce Young, the quarterback-needy Texans appear set to pass on Anthony Richardson, Will Levis, and C.J. Stroud.

The Texans could decide to trade the pick to a quarterback-needy team in exchange for an abundance of immediate and future draft capital. They could stick and pick a defensive difference-maker like Will Anderson Jr. or Tyree Wilson. There are various non-quarterback options.

The issue? Texans general manager Nick Caserio must still draft a quarterback. Selling their fan base on another year of Davis Mills is an impossible task for ownership, particularly under a new regime that includes an impressive first-year head coach in DeMeco Ryans.

Hooker is the top alternative choice to Richardson, Levis, and Stroud. Drafting the former Tennessee Volunteer with the 12th overall pick would qualify as a reach for many, but it’s worth acknowledging Hooker has garnered plenty of first-round interest around the league. If he’s their guy, Caserio may not feel comfortable passing on him at 12.

An alternative scenario could include trading back from 12 or trading back into the first round from No. 33 overall, where the Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs could be identified as trade-back candidates. Following No. 2 and No. 12, Caserio is equipped with three additional top-100 (33, 65, 73) selections. The Texans possess the ammunition necessary to trade back into the back-half-of-the-first-round range, which feels appropriate for Hooker.

Ryans hired an impressive offensive coaching staff that includes offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson. Slowik helped Kyle Shanahan craft a quarterback-friendly offense in San Francisco that maximized the efforts of Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy. Johnson is a former professional quarterback.

Slowik and Johnson would be tasked with achieving something similar for Hooker in Houston. The knock on Hooker entering the draft is that he operated a gimmick offense at Tennessee, one that took advantage of half-field reads and manufactured spacing. These concepts are foreign to the NFL, and Hooker was rarely tasked with going through his progressions like a pro-style quarterback would. Others believe Hooker, who turned in one of the greatest seasons in Volunteers history, shouldn’t be knocked for executing what was asked of him.

Passing on more polished quarterbacks like Levis, Stroud, and Richardson in favor of Hooker would be a sizable risk. The Texans have been patiently searching for Deshaun Watson’s successor. Passing on the top-ranked quarterbacks while identifying Hendon Hooker as their guy would be a bold choice.