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Houston Texans 2024 rookie class holds first minicamp

Gillberg
Houston Texans 2024 rookie class holds first minicamp

We know, at least so far, that it’s been a miserable baseball season here in Houston. The Astros can’t find any degree of consistency, and it seems like when they welcome a guy back from the injured list, another guy gets hurt and goes on the list. It was brutal.

Luckily, it seems like our NFL team has turned a corner and given us reason to be excited about everything they do. Free agency? Crushed. NFL Draft? Nailed it. Want a big trade? Welcome, Stefon Diggs! New uniforms, anyone? Oh yeah, that was awesome too. So, if there’s ever a time to prepare for rookie minicamp, it’s 2024, baby!

The Houston Texans’ rookie class — nine rookies, six undrafted free agents and a handful of tryout corps — hit the practice field Friday and Saturday. There are no mats or tackles in minicamp, and the small body count limits the types of drills they can perform. However, it is SOMETHING football related, so I was looking forward to watching it!

Friday’s session was open to the media, so here are four observations for you from our first look at the new batch of Houston Texans:

The continuity was palpable
As I watched the coaching staff work with the young players on Friday, I realized that this was the first rookie minicamp I’ve been to since May 2019 in which the coaching staff was the same group (apart from a few coaching positions). like the previous season. That’s the extent of the disruptions, some caused by the pandemic and some of their own making, that Texans have experienced over the past five years. In 2020, there was no rookie minicamp due to COVID. In 2021, David Culley had his only rookie minicamp. In 2022, Lovie Smith had her one. Last season was Ryans first, and hopefully the first of many. Simply put, it was nice to see the same staff at rookie camp two years in a row. Very pleasant.

Private lessons
As I mentioned earlier, the numbers at rookie minicamp are sparse, maybe 20 bodies total. One of the side benefits of these small numbers is that some guys essentially get private coaching for a few days. Ohio State rookie tight end Cade Stover is literally the only tight end. Kamari Lassiter, a cornerback from Georgia, is the only corner. USC safety Calen Bullock is the only safety. At any given time, these guys have up to three coaches working with them. Every little bit in training counts, especially for these particular players, who are all expected to contribute this season.

Body Type Observations
Because the drills are fairly basic and there is more mental work than physical work, most media commentary at rookie camp focuses on players’ body types. Who looks heavy, who looks skinny, who needs time in an NFL weight room, that sort of thing. So there you have it – Notre Dame second-round tackle Blake Fisher looks like he needs to spend some time in the weight room. A big guy, but you have to fill him up. Bullock is SKINNY. Like dangerously skinny. He has skinny chicken legs and looks like he would spontaneously combust if he tried to tackle Derrick Henry. Both Lassiter and Stover appear ready for the NFL.

“Follow 51”
When you hire great leaders, it is much easier to establish a culture in the building. To take it a step further, when you have someone like Will Anderson, DeMeco Ryans doesn’t even need to give a long explanation to recruits about what it means to “be a Texan.” He can simply tell young people to “follow the 51”. Here’s Coach Ryans during his post-minicamp media session on Friday:

Rookies will mingle with veterans this week, inside the building, then during several organized team activity (OTA) sessions from May 20 through the first week of June.

Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6-10 a.m. weekdays. Also follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergaston Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.

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