Texans Rookie WR Tank Dell Dazzles in Debut
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio became fond of Tank Dell after noticing him during the 2023 Senior Bowl in Alabama. Caserio said nobody could cover him and described Dell as one of the most offensive skilled players in the country. A few months later, Caserio drafted Dell with the 69th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
"I think he's a player that brings an element to the team and to the offense from an explosive standpoint," Caserio said. "There's potentially an opportunity there to enhance some of the things we do between offensively and maybe a role as a returner and ball handling."
All eyes were on quarterback C.J. Stroud during the Texans' 20-9 preseason victory against the New England Patriots Thursday night. But Dell took the helm as the star rookie from the class of 2023 at Gillette Stadium.
He finished with a game-high 65 yards on five catches, which displayed how the rookie from the University of Houston established himself as one of the most reliable targets during the Texans' 11-day training camp.
The play of the night came on 1st and goal with 16 seconds left in the first half. Dell made a circus catch between two defenders on a pass attempt from quarterback Davis Mills.
With the ability to keep his body in bounds, Dell scored the Texans' first touchdown. Before his first career touchdown, Dell completed a 24-yard completion from Mills.
"It was good to see Tank make plays, he has been making plays all training camp," coach DeMeco Ryans said. "It was good to see him do the same thing here, in a game. So he can be an explosive playmaker for us. We are looking forward to him making plays for us."
Dell became one of the nation's most intriguing prospects during his two-year tenure at the University of Houston. He recorded 199 receptions for 2,727 yards and 29 touchdowns. Dell also contributed to the Cougars' special teams as a kick returner who rushed for 330 yards since the 2020 campaign.
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