Tasked with stepping into the spot once held by All-Pro left tackle Laremy Tunsil, rookie Aireontae Ersery's performance in Week 5 showcased a potential piece for the now, and future in Houston.
At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, the Minnesota product combines rare size with light, reactive feet.
His lower-body flexibility allows him to reset and recover without losing balance, and his ability to mirror rushers -- syncing his eyes, feet, and hands -- made him one of the most technically sound prospects in the class last year.
His best work of the young campaign so far came in Week 5 against the Ravens, a defense notorious for confusing young tackles with pressure looks and post-snap movement. In 35 pass pro snaps, Ersery didn’t allow a single sack, didn’t surrender a quarterback hit, and looked completely in control against a front that thrives on chaos.
There was nothing fluky about it, either. He stoned speed rushers with quick, disciplined kick slides, absorbed power rushes with a wide base, and displayed strong, independent hands to redirect counters.
Even when Baltimore dialed up stunts and blitzes in an attempt to confuse Ersery, his patience and balance neutralized the disruption. For Houston’s offensive line -- a group still searching for consistency -- that level of reliability was a breakthrough.
Overall, the Texans’ offense has been uneven through five weeks, but Ersery has quietly been one of its most dependable pieces despite allowing a sack in each of the first four games. The tape shows major positives, and he’s provided stability in protecting C.J. Stroud’s blind side.
Replacing a cornerstone like Tunsil was supposed to be a long-term project. Instead, Ersery has accelerated the timeline. He's not Tunsil, yet, but he already looks the part of a core piece on offense.
Even amid a challenging start for Houston, Ersery has emerged as a bright spot the Texans need: a rookie who doesn’t just fill a void, but projects as a foundational piece for an offense that is expected to light up scoreboards each and every week.