Nick Caserio has a type for the Houston Texans’ offensive line and it’s all about the physicality and road warrior mentality.
With the No. 106 pick, Houston shored up its interior with Oklahoma guard Febechi Nwaiwu. The two-year starter for the Sooners is considered to be a multi-use starter who excels in run blocking and could shift inside to center full-time.
A second-team All-SEC last season, Nwaiwu started 11 games at right guard and two at center. He also allowed just six pressures and one sack against John Mateer as Oklahoma secured its first College Football Playoff berth under Brent Venables en route to a 10-win season.
“The Texans are a physical team, and I’m a physical player,” Nwaiwu told reporters via Zoom on Saturday. “They’re a detail team, and I’m a detailed player. I think me and the Texans have the same things in common.”
Here’s a quick rundown on Nwaiwu and what he brings to Houston:
The Basics
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 319 pounds
Age: 22
From: Coppell, Texas
Breakdown
What you are betting on with Nwaiwu is the character, the trajectory, and the pass protection floor. This is a walk-on kid from Coppell who turned himself into an All-SEC lineman through sheer determination and self-improvement. His body of work suggests a player who will get better with NFL coaching. He is not going to wow anyone at the combine with his testing numbers, and his run blocking will need to take a real step forward. But as an interior lineman who can keep the pocket clean and buy his quarterback time, Nwaiwu offers Day 3 value with a chance to develop into a long-term starter at guard or center. The floor is a quality backup who can play multiple interior spots. The ceiling, if the run game catches up to the pass protection, is a dependable starter on a mid-level offensive line.-
Lance Zierlein’s Scouting Report
“Nwaiwu is reliably active with good length. After a bumpy first season with the Sooners in 2024, he displayed improvement in both phases. He centers opponents in front of him to stay connected and uses good technique to displace down-block targets. However, he is inconsistent finding his foe on move blocks. Chronic leaning and slow initial hand strikes can render his massive wingspan useless against two-gappers and in pass protection. Nwaiwu’s snaps at center offer a peek into what might be his best spot, but his position flexibility is a positive regardless.- NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein
What Nick Caserio said
“He got really good. Not necessarily transfer up, but kind of transferred up. Started at one program and then elevated to another program. His mentality, his leadership, just his overall presence. He’s a great kid. He’s very smart. Takes coaching. You look at his story and his journey; he’s made himself into the player that he is, and then our job is to make him a better player relative to where he is right now. Great human being. We had him in the building. Has some leadership qualities. Has some toughness. He’s sturdy as hell. He’s thick. He’s really, really strong. He has the right makeup and the right mindset. He has a good spirit about him.”
What DeMeco Ryans said
“Febechi, but I like the player. Very smart player. Can play multiple positions. He played guard, played some center. Having that flexibility at the interior of our offensive line, we’re excited about him.”
RAS Score
RAS Score: 6.06 out of a possible 10.00
Grade: A
“Honestly, the only reason this isn’t an A+ is that I have no idea where he plays. The durability, physicality and mean persona in the trenches fit the identity of what the Texans want their offensive linemen to be. Nwaiwu also understands what it takes to battle, having gone from being a small-school walk-on to a potential NFL starter within four years. Maybe Houston has itself two starters via the draft for its offensive line? If Nwaiwu were a full-time center, this would have been my favorite pick, but it’s still a welcome and promising selection.” – Cole Thompson
Year 1 Role
Nwaiwu should compete for a similar role to that of Juice Scruggs or Jarrett Patterson. He’ll see snaps at center and guard during the offseason, but likely will be the first name off the bench to fill in on the interior.
Highlights
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Breakdown and analysis of new Texans rookie OL Febechi Nwaiwu
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
