'Future All-Pro': Texans Rookie Safety Jalen Pitre Gets National Praise
HOUSTON -- Houston Texans rookie safety Jalen Pitre is already the talk of the town. Could he, later this year, be the talk of the NFL?
In a recent article by CBS Sports, seven voters combined to hand-pick their all 53-man roster. Among those to make the cut included Los Angeles Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert, Indianapolis Colts’ offensive lineman Quenton Nelson and Los Angeles Rams’ cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
How does this correlate with Pitre? He was named an honorable mention at safety, ultimately losing out to Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates, Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard, Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland and Chargers safety Derwin James.
Pitre, the No. 37 pick in April’s draft, might not be considered an All-Pro talent yet, but he does have All-Pro potential. His versatility has been an asset since his freshman year at Baylor, and it’s translated to Houston under the direction of coach Lovie Smith.
“I have a great coaching staff that's teaching me the game, that helped me understand the playbook very fast, and also I have great teammates that lend a helping hand when I need it,” Pitre said last month. “So, I'm grateful for that.”
A former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and All-American, Pitre has improved with his coverage skills since arriving in Houston.
Tackling, meanwhile, is second nature for Pitre. Starting three seasons for the Bears’ defense, he racked up 195 total tackles, 36 of which came from behind the line of scrimmage.
Both Pitre and first-round cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. are projected to start Sunday in Week 1 against the Colts. And while one player is already on the radar of lists such as CBS Sports’, perhaps next season, both make the cut.
“They’ve picked up everything quickly,” Smith said of Pitre and Stingley. “We’ve been pretty basic on what we’ve done in the preseason, but with everything else, that’s what I’ve seen from them. They’re football guys. They’re hungry.”
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