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.”
Houston, which already drafted do-it-all lineman Keylan Rutledge out of Georgia Tech on Day 2, probably has the intent of letting Nwaiwu battle it out for first-team reps with Jake Andrews at center. If anything, he could become the next Juice Scruggs and a player who sees action at both guard and center as a depth piece.
A Texas native, Nwaiwu began his college career as a walk-on at North Texas, where he became a freshman All-American and an All-AAC selection before transferring to Norman. He started over 30 games with the Sooners in his final three years.
“It really put a chip on my shoulder that I’ve carried out through my whole college career,” Nwaiwu told reporters. “I still have the same walk-on mindset that I did my first year coming in. I think every player should work like you’re not just starving, like you’re malnourished. That’s the walk-on mindset. You’re behind everybody, so you have to outwork everybody.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans beef up interior offensive line, draft Oklahoma’s Febechi Nwaiwu at No. 106
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
