Former Alabama standout and fan favorite wide receiver John Metchie III has been diagnosed with leukemia and is set to miss his rookie campaign. 

The Houston Texans’ second round draft pick announced through a statement made by the Texans that he will “likely not be playing football this season.”

Metchie, who was set to be a star among rookie wide receivers in the NFL, was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL). Although the diagnosis is not something to be taken lightly, this specific type of leukemia is one of the most curable forms of the disease.  

The former Crimson Tide receiver and second team all-SEC pick eclipsed over 1,100 yards from scrimmage and 8 touchdowns in the 2021 campaign. Despite his injury in the 2021 SEC Championship against Georgia, Metchie managed to finish the season with 96 receptions, placing him 3rd on the Alabama single-season receptions list behind only Heisman trophy winner DeVonta Smith and Biletnikoff award recipient Amari Cooper. 

The 2021 Houston Texans offense ranked in the bottom third of the NFL in offensive production. Turning to a rookie from a program that has proven to produce NFL talent at the receiver position, the Texans snagged Metchie at 44th overall. Metchie was the ninth receiver to be taken in a draft that some would consider underwhelming at the wide receiver position compared to years past. Following his second-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, Metchie was set to bring a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing Texans offense.

In his statement, Metchie urged fans not to worry by saying, “I am currently receiving great medical care, am in good spirits and I expect to make a recovery at a later point in time.”