AFC South GM Power Ranking entering Week 13: Where does Trent Baalke stand?

1. Nick Caserio, Houston Texans

Everyone is different when it comes to working habits. Some people need constant supervision, while others perform much better when they have the chance to freelance and work at their own pace. That said, nobody likes their boss to breathe down their necks. That's the situation Nick Caserio was in when Jack Easterby was the Houston Texans' executive vice president of football operations.

With Easterby in the fold, Caserio couldn't perform his job to the best of his capacities. But once the meddling EVP walked the plank late in 2022, Caserio was able to show what he was capable of doing. In free agency, he got several bargains, including tight end Dalton Schultz, running back Devin Singletary, and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. While that could've been enough to prove he had an eye for talent, Caserio saved the best for the draft.

First, he got the franchise quarterback Houston had sorely needed since Deshaun Watson decided he no longer wanted to play for the franchise in 2021. He was just getting started though, and after drafting C.J. Stroud second overall, he made a series of moves to select defensive end Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3.

So not only did Caserio find a franchise quarterback, but he then got a building block on the defensive line, and later in the third round, he got a rookie wide receiver in Tank Bell, who's become one of their best offensive players. All general managers would love to have a draft like that, and nobody will bat an eye if Nick Caserio becomes the 2023 NFL Executive of the Year Award.

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