Consider the need to find a long-term linebacker addressed in Round 4 by the Houston Texans.
After trading down from pick No. 117, the Texans added another ACC standout in Clemson’s Wade Woodaz at pick No. 123. A two-year starter for the Tigers’ defense under Dabo Sweeney, Woodaz had 70 tackles, seven for loss and three pass deflections in his final year for the Tigers. Over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-3 linebacker netted 17 tackles for loss and over 110 stops.
“Fast, physical and violent,” Woodaz told reporters when asked to describe his style of play.
During his interview with the media, Woodaz mentioned that Houston had been in on him from the jump, conducting a formal meeting at the NFL scouting combine and follow-up work on campus ahead of the draft.
“I always just heard a lot of chatter about people talking to the Texans about me,” Woodaz said. “I knew that they wanted to find out more about me. Early on, I was in pretty good contact with them. I think it really clicked.”
Here’s a quick rundown on Woodaz and what he brings to Houston:
The Basics
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 236 pounds
Age: 22
From: Tampa, Fla.
Background
“Woodaz isn’t a flashy player, but he’s a consistent tackler who wins with technique in space. He doesn’t miss his targets and is an instinctive player in coverage. The ceiling isn’t high, but the floor could make him one of the better options as a Day 3 pick. In time, Woodaz has a chance to develop into an average backup weakside linebacker, but should contribute on special teams.”
Lance Zierlein’s Scouting Report
“Two-year starter who punches in and goes to work but fails to stamp games with high-level impact. Woodaz has adequate size and diagnostic quickness. However, he lacks base strength and take-on pop to keep himself clean through contact. He displays good awareness in zone drops and has enough man-cover talent to match with some pass-catching tight ends underneath. Woodaz needs to add strength, play faster and become more forceful in everything he does. He has a chance to develop into an average backup Will linebacker, but his work on special teams is what will get him on the field early on.” – NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein
RAS Score
RAS Score: 8.64 out of a possible 10.00
Grade: C+
“It’s fine. Woodaz isn’t a player I assume to do much on defense, but he could become one of the players who wins over Frank Ross and makes an immediate impact on kickoff and punt coverage. Maybe he could be considered a replacement for Henry To’oTo’o in time, but I don’t see it. There were better options on the board for Houston at linebacker, but it’s not like Woodaz was expected to come in Day 1 and start.” – Cole Thompson
Year 1 Role
Woodaz will be a Day 1 special teams standout, but the internal hope should be for him to take over full-time in place of Henry To’oTo’o after the season with the latter entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Highlights
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Breakdown and analysis of new Texans rookie LB Wade Woodaz
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
