Another ESPN Insider piece, but you don't really need the whole list. All you need to know is that Football Outsiders has named the Texans first in their organizational rankings this year, which considers the amount of young (25 and under) talent a team has on it's roster. Here's some relevant excerpts:
↵↵↵Not only are the Texans at the top of our rankings, but they could be even further ahead of the pack if we included players who are currently 25 and turn 26 before September 1. That would allow us to add star middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans to the Texans' haul. Even without him, though, the Texans are downright spoiled for talent. No one can match their one-two punch of Mario Williams and Brian Cushing, the best young players at their respective positions in the NFL.
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↵General manager Rick Smith doesn't get much attention nationwide, but since he took over for Charlie Casserly in 2006, it's hard to find anyone who's identified and acquired young talent as well as Smith has.
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It's easy for Texans fans to get a bit bogged down in how the team hasn't gotten over the playoff hump the last few years, but we have a lot to be thankful with when it comes to how the front office has successfully rebuilt a team that had been stripped dry of young talent by Casserly. It's a better time to be a Texans fan then it ever has been, and that falls primarily on the terrific scouting staff the Texans employ. Kudos to Rick Smith and company.
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