HOUSTON – Known for his cerebral nature, instincts and aggressiveness, Texans rookie linebacker Henry To’oTo’o is proving to be a quick study on the practice field.
An All-Southeastern Conference selection from Alabama, To’oTo’o is immediately competing for playing time and has absorbed the Texans’ defensive playbook. In recent days, To’oTo’o has been getting some snaps with the first-team defense while Christian Kirksey has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
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“Henry is in a really good spot for us right now,” said Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, a former Pro Bowl linebacker from Alabama. “He’s improving, he’s doing a really good job of communicating the defense and we ask a lot of the Mike linebacker to communicate on defense and Henry has done a really nice job of stepping in, making that communication and he’s improving each day. I’m pleased with where Henry is.”
Texans rookie linebacker Henry To'oTo'o @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/WGOJqob4bs
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 5, 2023
Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke has watched how quickly To’oTo’o has assimilated to the NFL with his speed and smarts.
“He’s a kid that practices with a purpose, he’s really coachable,” Burke said. “I don’t think he makes a lot of carry-over mistakes. If he sees something, he corrects it. He kind of gets it done the next day.””
When the rookie linebacker had a miscue, he learned from his mistake and made the play the second time around.
“We kind of got on him a little bit and got back and forth, and he literally got the same play like the second half of practice and nailed it,” Burke said. “So, to see that from him where he’s really taking the coaching and sort of applying it to the field. Every time he makes a mistake, he’s kind of correcting it and moving on. So, it’s been cool to see that progress from him.”
Drafted in the fifth round, To’oTo’o was signed to a four-year, $4.08 million contract that includes a $244,977 signing bonus Friday.
To’oTo’o (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) is competing with Kirksey, Denzel Perryman, Blake Cashman and others for a role.
“I’m having a great time with the guys, getting used to being an NFL player, being a pro,” To’oTo’o said. “I love where I’m at. I love the guys, I love the team. We have a great culture here with coach DeMeco and all the guys. Super, super excited.
“I’m not going to lie, being a rookie, I think that’s the biggest adjustment is starting over, earning guys’ trust again, and being that guy who will come in and put his head down and work every single day, and I think that’s the identity – not only me, but all the rookies here during training camp that we’re trying to create is just hard-nosed work, and individuals that will ultimately collect into a great team at the end of the day.”
The gold standard frequently mentioned for the Texans: San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner.
That’s how the Texans want their linebackers to operate.
“Yeah, you know DeMeco coached Fred Warner, and you guys know Fred is one of the greatest linebackers to be playing right now, so there’s a standard in this defense,” To’oTo’o said. “There’s a standard how coach DeMeco wants these linebackers to play and how he wants us to swarm and get the ball out, so that’s definitely an ultimate goal for not only the linebackers, but all 11 guys on the field. It’s not just the linebackers, so it’s the identity that we’re slowly creating throughout this training camp.”
To’o’To’o’s best friend at Alabama, Texans linebacker Christian Harris, was drafted in the third round last season and emerged as an impact player toward the end of his rookie year. In college, he was teammates with Texans first-round draft pick Will Anderson Jr. and wide receiver John Metchie III.
“Chris is my dog,” To’oTo’o said. “If you all didn’t know, Christian was my best friend in college, so we went together, ate food together, went out and do stuff after the games together, play games together. So, being able to play with him side-by-side, get some reps out there with him again feels great.
“And, you know, just kind of building that chemistry, but not with only him, but with our whole entire linebacker group. We’ve got a great group of guys in there, and we all work our tails off every single day to become ultimately the best linebacker group in the NFL.”
And To’oTo’o has been mentored by the older players, including Perryman. He’s passing on his knowledge to the rookie.
“Quiet, real eager to learn,” Perryman siad. “Real disciplined, not just on the field, but off the field, in general. He’s a go-getter, man.”
A Tennessee transfer, To’oTo’o has run the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds.
He had 94 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks last season. He had 111 tackles in 2021 with four sacks and one forced fumble.
There are a lot of parallels for To’oTo’o from his experience at Alabama playing for coach Nick Saban to what he’s doing now in the NFL.
“We ran a lot of complex stuff at Alabama, so I think coach Saban and coach Pete Golding have kind of pried me into a scheme in college to where I can come into the NFL and just kind of adjust on the fly,” To’o To’o said. “A lot you have to process as a linebacker, you’ve got to see things before it happens, you’ve got to know what kind of formation, if the lineman is sitting heavy or sitting light, or if you’re going to get a pass. You know, a lot of things you’ve got to take in, but it just comes with reps, comes with repetition, and I think that’s what training camp is for.”
To’oTo’o could also forge a role on special teams.
“I mean, wherever he’s played, he’s been productive,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “Whether it was at Tennessee, whether it was at Alabama, captain, leader, ran a defense, signal caller, highly productive, instinctive. So there’s a lot of good qualities, should have a role in the kicking game.”
To’oTo’o is extremely family-oriented. His parents and his wife are often at Texans practices.
“Man, it’s a blessing,” To’oTo’o said. “I’m Samoan and Tongan, and the Polynesian culture, we’re huge on family, and family means everything. Faith, family, football, I mean, that’s what we believe in. I carry my last name, To’oTo’o, with pride, and I’m the first one to do this, so I carry that with joy, and I’m going to give it my all while I’m here.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.