The Houston Texans may not have a big draft class, but they are an effective one.
The Texans used five draft picks to take quarterback Davis Mills (Round 3), receiver Nico Collins (Round 3), tight end Brevin Jordan (Round 5), linebacker Garret Wallow (Round 5), and defensive tackle Roy Lopez (Round 6). Through 11 games, the rookies have provided a sliver of optimism for the future of the team.
Coach David Culley told reporters Monday that he wants to see the rookie class continue to develop.
“They are growing,” said Culley. “They’re doing a good job of getting better each week. All we want them to do each week is get better, and all those guys that are playing for us, regardless of what their role is for us, is to get better. You’re starting to see it with Nico. You’re starting to see it with Lopez. You’re starting to see it with Wallow on special teams.”
Culley believes that one of the reasons why the rookies are trending upward in their development is because of the veteran examples on the team.
“All those guys are doing a really good job of progressing, and I think that’s a credit to the guys on this football team, the veteran guys on this football team,” Culley said. “They’re seeing how they’re being professional about going through a tough year with a won-loss record and still going out there every day and doing things the right way. Those guys are falling right in with that and they’re getting better because of that.”
One rookie who has not seen playing time since Week 8 is Mills. Culley stated that unless something happens to starter Tyrod Taylor, Mills won’t see any further action. The former Stanford product tallied an 0-6 record with an 82.3 passer rating and a 6-7 touchdown to interception ratio while filling in for an injured Taylor.
