Houston Texans: Preseason depth chart projection
By Randy Gurzi
Nose Tackle: Vince Wilfork, D.J. Reader
Vince Wilfork is the veteran of this group and serves as a mentor to other linemen. However Wilfork is simply a shell of his former self and was pretty much non-existent for most of the season last year.
Wilfork is in the last year of his contract, and the Texans will need to find another anchor for the defensive line pretty soon. The hope is that the fifth round pick Reader can fill the void, but for such an important position I would want someone more highly regarded than a fifth round pick.
The good news is that D.J. Reader was a rather talented athlete especially for such a big guy. He played high school basketball and was not just a member of the Clemson football team, but also played for their baseball team as well.
His athleticism won’t be anything like a J.J. Watt, but it would be a huge upgrade over what Wilfork brings to the table.
Some of the work on this position group was handled by my friend and colleague Josh McSwain (@JD_mcswain).
Next: Outside Linebacker