Accurate and excited: QB Graham Mertz pumped to be a Texan

The Texans selected Florida quarterback Graham Mertz in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Moments after he was picked, Mertz went 1-on-1 with Drew Dougherty of Texans TV, and shared his excitement, discussed his strengths as a signal-caller and a whole lot more.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Texans have taken a quarterback. His name is Graham
Mertz and Graham, it's great to be with you. You
played at Florida the last two seasons, started your college
career in Wisconsin, very very accurate when looking at your stats.
What's it like hit your name called and finding out
you're headed to the NFL?

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Man, it means everything, I think for me, just especially
a place like the Texans. I mean I went on
a visit there and obviously not with everybody, but I
mean it's just great people and you know what they're about.
You know what you're gonna get with the team at
top to bottom. I mean, everybody just enjoys being in Texas.
So hearing that to Houston really fired.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
Me up a year or so ago. Twenty touchdown passes
just three picks when you're at Florida north of seventy
three percent both seasons. As far as completion rate, being
an accurate quarterback one of the things that's made you
who you are.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yeah, I mean, I think anytime you think about playing
the position of quarterback, I mean that's the biggest thing.
It's accuracy, It's anticipation, it's being able to really dissect
the defense and attack their weakness.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
So I mean, I think that's something that.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
You want to try to hang your hat on as
a quarterback, as being an accurate person not only on
the field but off the field.

Speaker 3 (01:07):
And so yeah, that's what you strive to be.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
And it's a formula, man, it's through the work, and
you got to trust.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
The work, no doubt. Now, tell me about this offense
you're joining. It's got a new coordinator in Nick Cayley.
But what do you know about it? What do you
know about quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
So obviously I got the chance to meet him and
it was awesome just being able to talk ball with him,
kind of see the direction that they want to go
with the offense.

Speaker 3 (01:32):
I loved it.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
And then I've actually known I've known Jirobs since I
was a young buck coming up through the Lead eleven,
the little grassroots program, so I've known him for a while.
But no, I'm very excited getting that building, get to
learn from him, dive into a new playbook, and really
just try to provide value and bring value every single
day in any way, shape.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Or form, no doubt. And you know, this is a
room that has a pro bowler in CJ. Stroud, a
guy who started a lot of games behind him, Davis Mills.
It's a room with a lot of experience, a lot
of talent in there. It's gonna be fun, and I'm
sure you're gonna learn a lot from those guys, right.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
No doubt, no doubt. I mean, I think that's the
special thing about a quarterback room. As you get in
that room and it gets really close and you whoever's playing,
you support them and you try to help them out
in any way, shape or form to go go out
there and help the team win.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
And I think that's what really makes these quarterback room special.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
And what I'm excited to get into is just trying to,
like I said earlier, to provide value in any way,
shape or form.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
If that's when.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
You're never gets called, you gotta go on the field
and go win a game.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
You got to do it.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
And if it's during the week of prep knocking out
cutups and trying to help out as much as possible,
that's that's your job and you got to do it
the best your ability. So it's gonna be fun to
get in that quarterback room.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
You're now the third member of this draft class to
be drafted. Who's from Kansas City? What's going on in
the water there? What are you guys drinking?

Speaker 3 (02:51):
We got some speed.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
I didn't really tap into the speed column of Kansas City,
but no, we got some talent up here.

Speaker 3 (02:58):
Man.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Kansas City high school football's been on the rise, and
we've got a lot of great coaches up here. I'm
lucky to have my high school coach here today. But
it's definitely a special place.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
That's really cool. You bring up your high school coach
being there with you today. So who all is celebrating
with you at the party, and what's gonna what's it
gonna be like the rest of the afternoon.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, I mean I got a bunch of people.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
I got my girlfriend, she's actually in season right now,
she plays professional volleyball. And then I got my entire family,
and then a few high school buddies, coaches.

Speaker 3 (03:29):
We got a really good crew.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
I just had a new nephew, so being able to
have my little nephew here first one of the family.
Being able to experience that as a as an uncle
was pretty special.

Speaker 3 (03:39):
So I'm glad that he was give us here for that.

Speaker 1 (03:41):
Uncle Graham is headed to the Texans. Well, that's fantastic news.
Congratulations on the nephew. Congratulations though joining the the franchise.
We can't wait to see you very soon. Go party, go,
have a great time, and come see us in the
next week or two. Sound good.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
Let's do it, Houston, baby, come on. I love it.