D.J. Reader to break out on defense for the Texans?

The Texans have what many think is the best front seven in football. If they are to live up to that expectation it will largely be because of their new starting nose tackle D.J. Reader.

Texans’ defensive tackle D.J. Reader fell to Houston in the 5th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. NFL teams devaluing the nose tackle position certainly played a role in his fall but he is not a 5th round talent. He played in every game this past season and started seven for the league’s No. 1 defense. Including two playoff games.

While Reader is not quite as large as former Texans’ starting nose tackle Vince Wilfork, he is big enough as he measures in at 6-foot-3, 327 pounds at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine.

Reader even has some juice for a big fella as a pass rusher.  We saw this when he got a sack during the Texans’ playoff win over the Oakland Raiders.

Entering his second season, Reader has high expectations. Teammate Jadeveon Clowney heaped praise on him after the first day of mandatory minicamp.

"“I expect him to come out and play like he did last year. He gave us big minutes last year. He played good. He’s a great run stopper. It’s only up for him. I think he’s going to be one of the best interior run-stopper guys in this league. If he keeps playing the way he’s playing, eventually it’s going to show and he’s going to be there.”"

Pro Football Focus gave Reader a final 2016 grade of 71.1 (Wilfork received a grade of 45.1).

Reader seemed to get better as the season went on, notching his highest individual game grade of the season from PFF against the Patriots in the divisional round playoffs with an 81.9.

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Reader may not rack up the stats that Clowney, Watt, Whitney Mercilus and Bernardrick McKinney will get this season. But if he is doing his job holding the point of attack, collapsing the pocket occasionally and just making offenses have to pay attention to him, then his accolades will come just like they did for his former mentor in Wilfork.

All signs point to Reader becoming a breakout player this year and it will be really interesting to see how opposing offenses try to figure out the best way to attack the Texans’ defense.