Does Julie’n Davenport have a chance to start?
Julie’n Davenport could very well end up as the Texans’ starting right tackle this coming season.
One training camp battle that I’m looking forward to watching is at the right tackle position between Houston Texans’ rookie Julie’n Davenport, Chris Clark and Breno Giacomini.
I really don’t expect Giacomini to come in and have a better chance to start than Davenport. I look at him as more of someone who adds experience and gives the Texans some much needed depth.
If Davenport is going to win the right tackle job, he’ll have to beat out Clark, which may not be that difficult.
Clark started 14 games last season for Houston, but had an overall grade of 41.6 for the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
PFF also wrote in January that Clark was the worst right tackle in the NFL last season when it came to pass protection. He gave up a total of 67 quarterback pressures and ended up getting flagged 13 times.
It’s simple for Davenport. If he’s going to win the starting job he’s going to have to impress Texans’ head coach Bill O’Brien in training camp this summer.
From the Houston Chronicle:
"“I like Julién,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien aid. “He’s a rookie, so they’re all learning. It’s tough in no pads. I think the true test for a lineman is when the full pads are on in camp, but so far he’s smart, he works hard, he’s got a good skillset for that position. So far, so good, but again the true test for lineman is when they put pads on.”"
The one thing that Davenport has going for him is that his wingspan was the longest of anyone in the 2017 NFL Draft. That will really help him when it comes to pass protection. Which was a huge weakness of the Texans’ in 2016.
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As of right now, I got the feeling that Davenport could be the favorite to start at right tackle this coming season.
Comment below and give us your thoughts.