The Rundown: The addition of Ross Blacklock to the Texans defensive line
The Texans used the pick they acquired in the DeAndre Hopkins trade to try and replace the departing D.J. Reader who is on the Bengals after being paid as the highest nose tackle in the league. TCU defensive lineman Ross Blacklock was the pick at 40th overall giving the team a much-needed boost on the interior.
Widely considered one of the higher-rated defensive linemen in this draft, Blacklock fits similarly to the rest of the Texans defensive linemen. The expectation is Blacklock will be able to line up at multiple positions along the defensive line much like Reader did and current Texans Brandon Dunn and Angelo Blackson do.
With the experience in front of him, Blacklock doesn't have to compete right away but possesses skills to help right away.
Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver will have plenty of bodies to use in a variety of ways on the interior of his defensive line. Brandon Dunn and Angelo Blackson were slated to be the defensive linemen with J.J. Watt.
Now add Blacklock to that rotation with free-agent addition Tim Jernigan and Weaver have a bevy of big players to turn to along the line. In a normal offseason, he might have been able to earn more playing time earlier.
With the disrupted offseason, Blacklock will likely have a hard hill to climb to the immediate playing time opportunity. The benefit though is he can ease into whatever role with the numerous options the Texans have. He will play in positions more suited to his talent and be put in positions to eat blockers or punish offensive linemen who don't pay him enough attention.
The stats at TCU were a little underwhelming, but the style of play in the Big 12 isn't conducive to racking up stats. He should be a rotational asset right away with the potential to supplant the veterans in front of him down the road.
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