Mid-To-Late Round Pass Rushing Options For The Houston Texans
By Randy Gurzi
Oct 12, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Deion Barnes (18) during the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Michigan 43-40 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O
Deion Barnes, Penn State
The last player we will look at is one of Bill O’Brien’s former players during his tenure at Penn State. The Nittany Lions defensive end Deion Barnes was not invited to the NFL combine, and is considered to be either a round seven pick or possibly an undrafted free agent.
Barnes also is not considered a great pass rusher as evidenced by his 14 total sacks in his collegiate career, with six being his highest total for the year (in 2012 and 2014). He did show some solid tackling still, as he was credited with 44 tackles and 12.5 for a loss during 2014.
Where Barnes makes sense for the Texans is the trust factor between he and O’Brien. When trying to hit on late round players, the best thing you can do is find a player who can contribute and has potential to grow into a larger role.
Barnes has shown some flashes and if the head coach believes in his work ethic, he is worth looking at as a potential rotational rusher who can take some time to develop his pass rushing moves.