Houston Texans: All-Time draft picks by round

Round 2: DeMeco Ryans (2006)

Described in a 2018 article on HoustonTexans.com as one of the “greatest players in team history,” linebacker DeMeco Ryans tops the list for second-round draft picks (33rd overall) in Houston Texans history, and for good reason.

When he left the Houston Texans in free agency to join the Philadelphia Eagles, Ryans was the all-time leading tackler in franchise history. In six seasons with the Texans (2006-11), Ryans started at linebacker for the team in all 86 games played, making him a very reliable player for the franchise.

As a linebacker during his entire tenure with Houston, Ryans totaled 8.5 sacks as a middle linebacker, with 636 tackles (479 solo), along with eight fumble recoveries and two interceptions. Ryans also collected 26 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, one touchdown (2007), 43 tackles for loss,and 25 QB hits.

That is a career in itself, but Ryans went on to play four more seasons with the Eagles from (2012-15). As a rookie in ’06 with the Houston Texans, Ryan had a career-high 126 solo tackles, as he earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team that season.

Ryans was selected to the Pro Bowl in ’07 and ’09, was the Player of the Week once in his career (Week 13, ’06) and was the Sporting News first-team All-Pro in ’07, and that same season he was voted second-team NFL All-Pro by the Associated Press.

Ryans had a heck of career and is one of the great draft selections even by the Texans, and to get him in the second round proved to be great value for the franchise as he’s one of the all-time best.