Oh baby, nothing like 90+ stifling degrees with no breeze for a full two hours on a Saturday, huh? That's what day nine at Texans Training Camp was for the masses on hand, but the Texans got their work in before heading to the airport for the next week of Training Camp presented by Xfinity. In fact, I've got to get these done so I can do the same. Almost Heaven, here we come, but first...
HARRIS HITS from day nine at the Houston Methodist Training Center right here!
Where there's a Will (Anderson Jr.), there's a pressure
The team was not in pads, but that didn't stop the intense competition between the offense, the defense and special teams, of course.
After getting some glorious one-on-one work in pads on Friday, the two sides linked up for one-on-ones, even without the pads, on Saturday. Again, I went to watch the trenches as the pass rushers faced the offensive line yet again.
I've spoken so much about DE Will Anderson Jr. in this camp, but what has really stood out is HOW he's winning his reps. It's not just his 102 mph fastball (his power move(s)). He's really using his hands well, intentional placement on the OL's body, combined with the will (no pun intended) to finish and get to the QB.
In one-on-ones, he used his power moves, but in a different way. He attacked the V of the neck of the tackle to gain control and then yanked the OT out of the way, stepping through to tag off on the quarterback.
I went back to look at how many times he had a "practice sack" or a disruption during team drills on Saturday. I think I stopped counting at five. It was probably seven, eight or more. He's just getting to the QB so often in this camp against everyone.
Back to one-on-ones…Anderson Jr. is not alone because his partner Danielle Hunter works his hands and moves as well as anyone in the NFL. He hasn't even brought out the big guns yet, i.e. spin moves, and he's still winning. He hit rookie OT Aireontae Ersery with a swipe/rip to start the drill and I'm not sure Ersery has faced anything quite like that. But, what makes Hunter so great with it is the placement of his hands. During special teams periods, Hunter and Anderson Jr. work with the DL coaches on exact hand placement on their rushes. ALL. THE. TIME. There isn't a moment those two aren't working hands during a practice. Follow what they do, younguns.
Togiai and Davidson call outs
The defensive line had two other winners, if you will, in one-on-ones. The first is DT Tommy Togiai, who was brilliant on Friday as well. His quickness is alarming for interior OL but his stature and leverage are an advantage against taller interior players. He can get into them with his burst off the snap but then his quick arm under move gets the guards/centers out of position. He then controls them at that point. I think I saw him go four times and he convincingly won all four.
The other one to mention is recently signed DT Marlon Davidson. I was a huge Davidson fan when he was entering the Draft years ago out of Auburn. I envisioned him as a Denico Autry type who could play inside and out and he ended up being a second round pick. But, he hadn't able to stick anywhere, unfortunately, but, fortunately, he was available after a workout with the Texans at the exact right time. DT Kyonte Hamilton was put on IR and there are already four DL on PUP and/or not practicing.
So, Davidson got a long look on Saturday and didn't disappoint, in my opinion. In other words, it was validation, in a sense, as to why I thought highly of him. He threw move after (different) move at interior pass protectors throughout the period. He worked the old school Reggie White hump move on his first rep and got to the QB. Then, he countered with an inside rip move on his next rush. It wasn't until Davidson went up against OC Jarrett Patterson that the newest Texan was slowed down just a bit.
Patterson and Deculus call outs too!
By the way, Patterson has looked really good this camp and improved each and every day. As he told us back in the spring, he finally had an offseason where he could focus on getting his body stronger and better and not rehabbing. That work is really paying off.
The other player that continues to get my attention in one-on-ones is former LSU product Austin Deculus. Everything about his first one-on-one rep against Solomon Byrd was top notch. Pad level. Knee bend. Lateral agility. Punch and hands. I put an asterisk near that rep because it was "teaching tape" good. THAT Austin Deculus is the one that I want to watch at all times.
More 1-on-1s
OC Jake Andrews and DT Tim Settle had one heck of a rep, like two Toros colliding, swapping shots with each other's horns. Settle tried to shock/yank Andrews, but the former wrestler Andrews knows how to keep his leverage when he's pulled/moved in a disadvantageous direction. Andrews sunk his hips and was able to stay in front of Big Tim.
Former SMU product OG Jaylon Thomas had a pair of good reps, first anchoring against the power of rookie DT Junior Tafuna and then doing so on a later rep against newly signed Haggai Ndubuisi.
DT Mario Edwards Jr had an excellent session in one-on-ones as well. He worked a swipe/chop to get to win on his first rep. Then, he ripped inside to get free on his second rep.
DT Sheldon Rankins did much the same on his rep. He burst off the ball and got on Tytus Howard's edge quickly. If Rankins is able to do that, an interior OL has really no chance, because Rankins is so powerful and already low to the ground. He can bend that rush to the quarterback as he did on that rush.
The rookie of the OL, Aireontae Ersery, was able to win a rep v. DE Darrell Taylor when they squared off. Taylor appeared to have an inside path and took it, but the former Golden Gopher All-American just slid with Taylor inside, washing him all the way down the LOS, away from the QB.
I liked OT Zach Thomas' rep against Dylan Horton. The former San Diego State star flashed some great feet sliding with Horton throughout the rep. Thomas has quietly been getting my attention the past few days.
Smart, competitive team portion of practice
As we got into the team portion of practice with no pads, both sides of the ball competed, but also took great care of one another, which was great to see. So, I'll hit some of the highlights here.
- RB Nick Chubb and RB Woody Marks aren't mirror images of one another, but they run ANGRY and downhill. Saw that a few times with the two of them.
- But, LB E.J. Speed has Woody in his sights. He popped him, a little shoulder love tap, on an early run in practice. In pads on Friday, those two, uh, collided a few times.
- 51 just had another sack.
- WR Nico Collins had a number of solid connections with QB C.J. Stroud throughout the day. The first one came off of play action on a seam route that was NICE.
- Rookie WR Jaylin Noel made one heck of a catch on a ball from QB Davis Mills. The Texans' QB threw to the open spot in the zone away from the defenders, but Noel had circled up a few feet away from that spot. Noel was forced to reach out and snag that thing out of the air, which he did beautifully.
- I want to mention rookie LBs Jackson Woodard and K.C. Ossai, both undrafted free agents. It's an uphill climb for them to make this roster, but they are built well, run even better and have been consistently around the ball in this camp. I, honestly, can't wait to see them in game action in Minnesota. Mark my words, one or both, will make a play or three to get your attention as they have mine.
- I'm telling you RB J.J. Taylor can cut on a DIME. He made a cut on a run today that had me incredulous. Perfect full stop. Pivot. Out the backside in a hurry. The aforementioned DT Marlon Davidson appeared to have Taylor dead to rights…until he didn't.
- 51 sack again.
One of C.J. Stroud's best throws on Saturday was a slick fastball to WR Justin Watson on a slant route in traffic. C.J. ripped that one with some confidence and Watson was in the perfect spot for the outstanding connection.
QB Davis Mills was forced out of the pocket by the ever-present DE Darrell Taylor, but when Mills ran out he spied rookie WR Jayden Higgins. Mills lasered one that the rookie snatched for a completion.
A couple of plays later, Mills hit Watson again, but did so after the blitz was picked up incredibly well. Then, he drilled one to TE Dalton Schultz for a catch on the next play.
Ross vs Stover gem
Perhaps the one play that epitomized the day and the effort that both sides give on every play happened down in the red zone. TE Cade Stover lined up on the left side of the formation and on the snap ran an out and up against CB D'Angelo Ross. Now, keep in mind, this is about an hour and 45 minutes into a grueling practice. QB Davis Mills threw to the back corner of the end zone where Stover laid out and nearly brought in the pass with one hand. I was ten feet away and I thought at first that he DID indeed catch the ball, but Ross kept fighting and knocked it out of Cade's hands at the last second. That was competition at its best. Stover's effort. Ross's strain. Awesome.
Ross had another great day. A few reps later, he broke on a throw from rookie QB Graham Mertz to RB British Brooks in the flat. It was a pick six…until it wasn't because Ross wasn't able to secure the catch. The sideline erupted when it saw Ross break on the ball and then OOOOHHHH the despair when he couldn't snag it.
Regardless, Ross has been excellent in camp this year, yet again. When we got in from the heat, Marc asked me "where would we be in camp without D Lo Ross?" Agreed.
Now, the whole secondary has been outstanding, if we're being honest, but Ross has been noticeable with all the plays he makes on defense and on ST. Dude is diving to stop the ball from going in the end zone as a gunner. He's 1000 mph on kickoff coverage on every single rep. He's SWARM-y, if you didn't know.
I thought the offense finished practice very well. C.J Stroud and company worked a late game situation, down five with :25 seconds remaining just inside the red zone. He drilled one to Nico Collins who made one heck of a catch on first down. Then, after a spike, he threw just a brilliant ball to TE Dalton Schultz for a touchdown. Schultz was facing one way as he ran his route into the end zone, but the defender was on that side, so Stroud threw the other direction to Schultz's backshoulder wonderfully for the touchdown. Then, to put the capper on the day, Stroud drilled a fastball to Collins on the slant route for the two point conversion.
Okay, so that's going to do it for our time in H-Town…for now…as the plane is soon to take off for White Sulphur Spring, WV, aka The Greenbrier. Marc and I will have you covered each day from the practice facility, so more HARRIS HITS comin' your way next week. See ya then, everyone!!
