HOUSTON – The vision is clear. The time is now.
For A.J. Haulcy, this represents a pivotal life moment.
Recommended Videos
At every stage of his football career, Haulcy has bet on himself. The LSU All-American and All-Southeastern Conference selection had certainty, clarity and conviction about his skills.
Now, the Missouri City native and Thurgood Marshall graduate is poised for the next level: the NFL.
For Haulcy, this has been an extremely busy and productive time.
He completed a whirlwind of travel as he experienced the NFL draft process. He is regarded as a late first-round to second-round draft target, representing a potential enforcer and ballhawk in the secondary at the NFL level. He hits like a linebacker and covers like a true center fielder.
Haulcy visited the hometown Texans and the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers.
At Reliant Stadium, Haulcy met extensively with coach DeMeco Ryans and his staff on his visit.
“We always watched the Texans every Sunday,” Haulcy told KPRC 2 after completing his visits. “Me and my mom, we were sitting there watching the game. Watching Arian Foster and Andre Johnson and J.J. Watt. The interactions with the coaches were great. I learned some things from the coaches I met.
“Just sitting around the stadium, they want to see where your brain is at. They just want to see how you are as a person, as a player, for their culture, how you are with the coaches, just football. It was amazing.”
A University of Houston transfer, Haucly recorded 89 tackles, a team-high three interceptions and one forced fumble last season for the Tigers.
Haulcy is a big, hard-hitting safety at 6-foot, 222 pounds with 4.52 speed in the 40-yard dash recorded at the NFL scouting combine. He intercepted 10 career passes.
“I feel like I could pick up and learn any defense fairly easily, plug in and play,” said Haulcy, who is represented by Ed Berry of Creative Artists Agency. “I’m a very versatile player. I just trust my instincts and my film study and that leads to me playing very fast. I’m not second-guessing myself. I can diagnose things. I see myself as a playmaker. If they can’t score points, they can’t win the game.
“I’ve been playing since I was like four years old. Tackling is not something that I even think about. I’m trying to hit you hard enough where you don’t want to come my way with my mentality to be as physical as possible. Once I feel like they tried me, I just go out there and give it all my got.”
Haulcy recorded five interceptions in his final season for the Coogs before entering the NCAA transfer portal and choosing LSU over Miami.
Now, Haulcy awaits word and the call for where he’ll ply his trade in the NFL.
“I’m a patient guy,” Haulcy said. “I just try not think about it, for real. When I’m back at home and I’m not on visits, I try to work out my whole day, so I’ll probably get done with all my workouts and the way I prepare probably about six o’clock.
“So ‚I really don’t got much time to think about it. I got a lot of Zooms, so I got to be focused on which team I’m talking to. For the most part, I’m patient. I’m taking this day by day, because, right after this, after the draft, it’s time to work. So, I’m enjoying my last few days off, but I’m working."
Haulcy has trained extensively with elite private defensive backs coach Jacory Nichols for several years.
He considers it invaluable work as he’s out there on the field regularly with Texans standout defensive backs Kamari Lassiter, Calen Bullock and several other NFL players.
“We had a great day,” Haulcy said. “It’s very cool.”
At Thurgood Marshall, Haulcy was a three-star recruit who chose New Mexico over Incarnate Word, Kansas, Houston Christian, Texas Southern Southeastern Louisiana and several other scholarship offers.
He was a freshman All-American.
Four years later, Haulcy is an NFL draft prospect who was named All-Southeastern Conference at LSU, All-Big 12 for the Coogs after intercepting five passes in his final season in Houston and All-Mountain West Conference at New Mexico.
It all started back in high school.
“My experience at Thurgood Marshall was great,” Haulcy said. “It was a time to remember. It was so much fun. I still talk to my friends and teammates and coaches. It was amazing.”
When Haulcy was making his decision to transfer to LSU, he heeded the advice of his mother. She has been instrumental in raising him to be respectful, disciplined and to believe in himself always.
“She gave me her input,” Haulcy said. “Throughout my life, my mom has always been very supportive. She was the one that put me in football when I was four years old. She’s been great. She told me not to be satisfied, to challenge myself.
“You never want to get comfortable. I prayed to God every day. I wanted to put my athletic ability and what I bring to the table on the highest level of college football and prove to myself that I could do it. I just want to be fully confident in my ability. You’re only going up, never down.”
Haulcy is having a draft party. There’s a chance someone famous will attend, a special guest.
There will be chicken wings, his favorite food, pizza, sandwiches and desserts on the menu.
“Man, I’m excited,” Haulcy said. “It’s going to be so much fun. You’re invited, come through.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com