John Harris and Marc Vandermeer are live on 95.7 The Fan at 10am and 6pm every day during training camp. Listen and subscribe to Texans All-Access on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Three days of 2026 Training Camp presented by Xfinity are in the books and my notebook is already a disaster — asterisks everywhere, exclamation points, circles, arrows, you name it. The Texans took the field on Wednesday, turned it up a notch on Thursday and then got in a walkthrough on Friday to let some legs recover before the weekend. Here's my three-day recap from the Houston Methodist Training Center. Let's ROCK!
I'm going to start with the man, #7, QB C.J. Stroud, because what we saw over the first two days was special. On day one, I liked seeing Stroud operate the offense and work the pocket on pass downs. He took a drop, scanned while moving within the pocket, finally delivering an on-the-spot strike to rookie WR Lewis Bond for a completion. Solid. Good decision making, quick release, accurate throw. All three QBs were solid on Wednesday. Not perfect. Not MVP-level. But the right kind of start.
Then day two happened and, I'm going to say something that may seem over the top, so I'll try not to get too carried away…I thought it was one of C.J.'s best training camp practices in his four years as a Texan. He made three throws that were vintage, C.J. Stroud accurately thrown, pinpoint dimes. The first was an out route to WR Jayden Higgins on my sideline with CB Derek Stingley Jr. in phase, inside Higgins' jersey. Stroud trusted his 6'4" second year wide out, launching the ball a yard or two outside the sideline where Higgins was the only person who could catch it. He snatched it away from his body, tapped the two feet and completed the catch. THE THROW? My goodness. Couldn't have been any better.
The second was an over route to TE Foster Moreau with S Jalen Pitre on his heels — that's a tough throw for any quarterback because a line drive gets picked and a loft gets played from behind. Stroud picked the one location, low and away, and threw it BRILLIANTLY. Even though Moreau couldn't quite hold on, the ball placement was elite. The third was during a red zone drill — third and long, pressure coming, OL picked it up perfectly and Stroud stepped into his throw to WR Justin Watson on the left sideline for the first down. After each of the three, as I watched with no one around me, I kept saying "GREAT ball, SEVEN!!" That accuracy was incredible…and so fun to watch.
Now, let's get to the play everyone is talking about from day one. First round C/G Keylan Rutledge. The Texans ran an inside run during the last team period and I initially had my eyes on RB David Montgomery. I saw him slice through the front and then out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rutledge put a linebacker in his wallet 20 yards away from where he snapped the ball!! Like, WHAT?!? I can't remember seeing a Texans OL put a defender on his backside in the run game in ages, if ever, out on the practice field. I will see that image on my way home, in my sleep and on my way back up to practice. I will NOT put a rookie in Canton on day one, but it's okay to get excited about progress and potential.
Two plays later, the OL/TE/RB picked up pressure expertly, giving Stroud time to scan AND throw. He found Nico Collins open across the middle for the first down. That, THAT was good offensive football on all levels.
I said this to Marc coming off the field on day one and it's a phrase that I use a lot when I see NEW players — "I get it." I get why the Texans highlighted former Michigan TE rookie Marlin Klein. Totally. Get. It. During a seven on seven play, he ran a quick out from the left side and the way he explosively accelerated away from the LB in coverage…he got out of that break and POOF he had yards of separation for an easy completion. Then on the last play of practice, Klein ran a deep post route and Graham Mertz laid it out there. I mumbled under my breath "Damn, Graham, overshot him." Then Klein FLY into the picture and dove for the ball. That was not a ball I thought was even touchable and he nearly made the catch of the camp. The fact that he GOT to it? I was somewhat impressed…for now, of course.
The running backs are FLASHING. RB Jawhar Jordan has major juice and don't you dare forget about him just because of the David Montgomery addition and Woody Marks' productive first season. On a zone run during day one, Jordan hit a cut with great vision and once he found the opening, he hit the freakin' gas for a chunk run. Making that run even more impressive was the block from T Braden Smith. He put hands on a DE and lifted him out of the hole. I had a clear view right into his block and that was impressive. This organization said all offseason that the offense had to be more physical in the run game and there was clear evidence of that commitment on day one.
Keep your eyes on RB Noah Whittington. Dude can scoot, runs with power, has great vision and is flashing every time he touches the ball. He's one of the first guys to practice, last guys to leave every single day.
On the defensive side, I loved seeing LB Henry To'oTo'o come up with a couple of great plays on day two. He sifted through the interior chaos to tag off on Montgomery for what would have been no gain on an inside run. But the one that had everyone going crazy? He ran down a screen on the first play of the third team period. He saw it the entire way and beat an interior OL to RB Woody Marks just as Woody caught the ball. SPEEEEEED, WOW!
CB Alijah Huzzie was the perfect example of making adjustments and not getting down on yourself. Early on day two, the offense had a few completions in front of him. Nothing that broke the bank, but this defense doesn't like to give up anything. Huzzie never cracked and when the offense targeted his receiver on an out route during a team period, Huzzie picked it off and took it to the house for a TOUCHDOWN.
CB Kamari Lassiter came up with an interception as he blanketed a receiver in coverage. I'm still getting used to seeing #3 on his jersey when he makes plays, but he can wear whatever he wants if he makes picks like that.
DE Will Anderson Jr. didn't completely ruin practice as he has so many times in his first three years in Houston, but when the offense tried to run outside zone at him, he wasn't having it. Shed the block. Waited for the RB. It's so good to have that man in this town, on this team. So damn good.
Day two also brought us a Davis Mills DIME — scrambling out to his right in the low red zone and throwing a beauty, on the run, to TE Brevin Jordan for a touchdown. That was a DIME DIME! DE Solomon Byrd made a brilliant play late in the final team period, getting off a block and knifing into the backfield for what would've been a TFL. The third year guy out of USC keeps improving every week, month and year. And it was great to see CB Jaylin Smith back on the field, in the perfect position on a corner route to force an incompletion in the end zone. Perfect spot. Perfect play.
Day three was a walkthrough, which gives the Hits a day off, so to speak. That happens; it's part of the process. I knew what that meant heading into the weekend — the ramp-up continues, pads are coming soon and these Texans are getting after it.
Three days in and I can tell you this: the offensive line is more physical. The protection on stunts and blitzes is noticeably improved. The second year in this offense is already more efficient and effective because the newness is gone — everyone knows how to drive the vehicle now. And this defense? They want all the smoke, every single rep.
Plenty more where this came from. Let's GO!
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