HOUSTON – Texans’ first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is likely a happy man.
Going into the draft, the Texans needed to improve defensively. The team ranked third-worst in the NFL last year for putting pressure on the quarterback, so an addition of a pass rusher seemed logical. The Texans also added a few offensive weapons.
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The Texans are still making free agency moves, but these are the layers, Bill O’Brien was talking about last week when he spoke about how he wants to build his team.
Here’s who the Texans ended up snagging via the 2020 NFL draft:
- Ross Blacklock, Defensive tackle, TCU (Elkins)
- Jonathan Greenard, OLB, Florida
- Charlie Heck, Offensive tackle, UNC
- John Reid, Cornerback, Penn State
- Isaiah Coulter, Wide receiver, Rhode Island
Most national analysts praised the Texans staff for their picks, who met all with the media via Zoom after their selections.
Here are some highlights from the post-draft press conferences:
Blacklock, a Houston native, was thrilled to be drafted by his hometown
“I’m beyond excited to be able to come back home and play for my hometown and just to be able to do good things for this city and play great football,” said Blacklock. "It was crazy, just amazing emotions. We had a little feeling. I said right before they called, I said, ‘Houston is about to call,’ I just had that feeling and then I was talking to Bill O’Brien.”
Blacklock and Greenard were able to meet with the Texans staff in-person
Before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down facilities, Blacklock and Greenard were able to meet with the Texans staff in-person, which O’Brien said made a big difference.
“We were able to do a little workout with (Blacklock), we were able to interview him," O’Brien said. "Our scouts were able to work with Greenard pre-coronavirus. I think that’s very important. We felt good about the work that the scouts had done, the work that the coaches had done.”
O’Brien remembered young Reid
O’Brien spoke highly of John Reid. He said he saw him at a Penn State football camp when he was the Nittany Lions’ head coach. When asked if Reid will play slot corner or outside:
“I think he can do both," O’Brien said. “I do think that he can play on the inside. I think he’s got good quickness. He’s got good toughness. I’ve known John for a while. When I was at Penn State he was a sophomore in high school and came to our camp. I think we offered him a scholarship right there. A really smart guy comes from a great family. But yeah, I think he can do both. I think he can play on the inside and I also think that he’ll help us on special teams.”
Reid spoke on transitioning to the NFL
“I’m a player that has really good footwork,” Reid said in his post-draft Zoom interview. “I’m really explosive and I take a lot of pride in my preparation. I think at the next level it’s going to be great to have a room full of people in the secondary that have played a ton of years that I can learn a lot from. I’m going to make sure that I try to take as much knowledge I can from them as soon as I get there to kind of speed up my process and that learning curve similar to how I did in college.”
Charlie Heck, son of Chiefs coach Andy Heck, talked about family ties
“To play for a team like the Texans – I’m still speechless right now,” said Heck, who’s father, Andy Heck, is the offensive line for the Kansas City Chiefs. "Football has been in my family for a long time. My dad played, he’s a coach now. So it’s kind of been in my blood growing up. Just watching all these teams, I couldn’t be happier to be a part of this organization.”
Heck on playing both left tackle and right tackle in college:
“I think that’s helped me, being able to play at both positions," Heck said. "That’s really something important that I’ve been working on... to interchangeably go back and forth with those positions, just feel completely comfortable, get your hips used to it. That’s something I’ve been working on.”
Greenard on modeling his game after JJ Watt
“(JJ) Watt is always an exceptional guy that I always used to look at, watch film on,” Greenard said. "We kind of work similar moves. I did dip-rip kind of move a little bit, kind of use our get-offs to our advantage and getting the corner at the top of our rushes, and switch it up and go power as well with our bull rushes. So, I’ve always watched him and then to be a part of this organization and be with him and guys like Whitney Mercilus as well. Those will be guys that I definitely will soak up a lot of knowledge and wisdom from.”
Coulter on the NFL transition
“I’ll handle it great,” Coulter said. "I play with a chip on my shoulder. I’m ready to just come in and help any way I can. I’m not really looking at is as though I’m – I know I’m coming from a smaller school and all, but I’m just ready to play. I feel like once you get on that level, you’ve got to prove yourself at that point. So, I’m just trying to prove myself and put my best foot forward.”