HOUSTON – Erick Hallett is confident in his preparations, working diligently for years to position himself for this NFL opportunity.
The Pitt safety was a standout at Cy-Fair, the alma mater of Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair and offensive lineman Austin Deculus, going 15-0 and winning a Class 6A state championship as he intercepted six passes as a senior and returned a pick and a fumble for touchdowns while being named all-district.
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Now, he’s getting ready for the NFL.
“I think starting with high school really playing in biggest classification in Texas, going against Division I talent every week, that got me ready for college football,” Hallett said in a KPRC 2 telephone interview. “Pitt does a tremendous job of developing its players. We don’t necessarily get that notoriety, but our coaches develop our players very, very well for the next level.”
Hallett had a Zoom interview Friday afternoon with the Texans, participated in the Buffalo Bills’ local prospect day and has also spoken with the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets, among others.
Hallett (5-foot-10, 198 pounds, 4.42 speed) started 31 consecutive games to finish his career and was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference second-team selection last season. He was a Football Writers Association of America All-American second-team selection and a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist, intercepting three passes with three fumble recoveries last season and 54 tackles, four for losses, nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
“More than anything, the NFL gets an asset with me,” Hallett said. “I made the transition from high school to college and I realized right away I was playing for serious business, not just having fun with my friends anymore. I can move to be an asset to an organization, but also to a community for whatever team drafts me.”
Hallett, who has degree in philosophy and political science is pursuing a master’s degree in media and professional communications, got to see Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin every day, a motivating factor as Pitt and the Steelers share training facilities.
“He usually was sitting on our bench talking with us while we were taking off our cleats,” Hallett said. “We would have a lot of conversations.”
Hallett was hoping for a faster 40-yard dash time.
“I was running 4.39 consistently in training,” he said. “It was kind of a letdown to run a 4.42.”
Hallett, who has also played cornerback on occasion with a start against Syracuse as a redshirt freshman and against Florida State, has plans for life after football.
He wants to attend law school eventually with a goal of not becoming a lawyer. He’s interested in being an athletic director and broadcasting.
He had two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery against Miami. He had two interceptions against Western Michigan, one year after intercepting two passes in the ACC championship game against Wake Forest.
“Games like that show the full spectrum of what I’m able to do,” Hallett said. “I know I can get the job done.”
Hallett played in the Hula Bowl all-star game.
Experiences like that and attending the Bills workout have helped him realize he’s close to achieving his goals.
“I think the Bills workout went well, my footwork was good,” Hallett said. “It was awesome, a surreal feeling. Playing for them, it’s always a possibility. I’ve done a good job of trying to continue that relationship.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.