Stanford offensive coordinator Tavita Pritchard says Davis Mills has starter ability for Texans

The Houston Texans made a bold move with their first selection during the 2021 NFL Draft. With the 67th overall pick in Round 3, the Texans selected quarterback Davis Mills from Stafford.

Mills’ lack of experience at the collegiate level made his selection a significant risk for the Texans. He only played in 14 games during his three-year tenure with the Cardinals, where he recorded 3,468 yards and 18 touchdowns.

The small sample size left many to ponder whether the 22-year-old prospect is ready to play on the NFL level — let alone start if needed for the Texans. But Stafford’s offensive coordinator Tavita Pritchard is confident that Mills will leave a mark in Houston.

“My initial reaction was how proud I was of him, how excited I am for him and the Houston Texans,” Pritchard said during his interview on SiriusXM PAC-12 Radio. “To have a guy like Davis to be able to come in, and honestly he has starter ability. Whether that’s going to be realized in the first, second year or what have you, he has that. I’m looking forward to seeing the mark Davis leaves on the league.”

Despite his on-field talent, Mills believes the best attribute he brings to the Texans is his leadership. As a rookie, Mills knows it’s going to take time to establish himself as the leader of the team. But he is planning to start working on their trust and respect by putting in hard work alongside his new teammates this offseason.

Amid the Deshaun Watson controversy, Tyrod Taylor will be the projected start under center for the Texans come Week 1 of the 2021 regular season.

“I feel like I have a ton of ability coming to compete at the next level,” Mills said during his post-draft press conference on Friday. “I’m fully ready in that manner. And then I was also trained really well at Stanford on the mental side of the game as well. So, I fell fully prepared to come in and compete and take my shot at the next level.”