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DBs McCain, Nolan close out Texans' draft

By Nick Scurfield
April 26, 2009 Comments (0) | Avg. Rating
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A three-year starter at Utah, McCain ran a 40-yard dash in the 4.3-second range at his pro day.
In the sixth round, Texans general manager Rick Smith continued to make good on his pre-draft promise to draft cornerbacks by taking Brice McCain (5-9, 182) of Utah at No. 188 overall. The Texans also drafted New Mexico corner Glover Quin in the fourth round (112th overall). Smith and the Texans wrapped up their 2009 draft by with another defensive back in the seventh round, Arizona State free safety Troy Nolan (6-2, 207).

A native of Terrell, Texas, McCain was a three-year starter who played in 49 games at Utah. According to NFL.com, he ran blazing 40-yard dash times of 4.33 and 4.34 seconds at the Utah pro day. McCain said in a conference call with Houston media that he ran a 4.24 at the pro day. The fastest 40 time for any corner at the NFL Scouting Combine was a 4.46.

"My speed helps me out so much because a lot of receivers running at full speed, I can run half-speed and still keep up and play faster than them," McCain said. "You play faster when you're not running so fast. I've got a good advantage because God blessed me with speed, and I'm very grateful for that."

"My speed helps me out so much because a lot of receivers running at full speed, I can run half-speed and still keep up and play faster than them."

- Brice McCain
McCain also recorded a 36 1/2-inch vertical and a 10-foot-3 broad jump at his pro day, though he put up only 12 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press. He was an All-Mountain West defensive back in 2007 and 2008 and an honorable mention all-conference kick returner in 2006. He had 35 tackles, five pass deflections and one interception for the undefeated Utes in 2008.

Three days before the draft, Smith said that a team can never have enough corners. McCain is the eighth one on the Texans' roster, joining Quin, Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Antwaun Molden, A.J. Davis, David Pittman and Matterral Richardson. Cornerback Dunta Robinson, who would bring the total to nine, has yet to sign the franchise tender that the Texans placed on him earlier this offseason.

Nolan, a Woodland Hills, Calif., native, intercepted 10 passes in two seasons at Arizona State. In 25 starts, he scored five defensive touchdowns - four on interception returns, one on a fumble return. He transferred to ASU from College of the Canyons Junior College in Santa Clarita, Calif.

"I'm a ball-hawking safety," Nolan said. "I like to get to the ball. I like to make plays on the ball and get out there and make hits."

Including Nolan and McCain, the Texans selected five defensive players in the 2009 draft to shore up a defense that ranked 22nd in the league last season.

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