If you're a Jacksonville Jaguars fan, or if you bet the Jaguars at +1.5 last Sunday afternoon, this article isn't for you, because in today's Defensive Spotlight, we're taking a look at Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, whose touchdown as time expired in Week 10 gave the Texans a win AND a cover, both of which were equally unexpected as the game went into the 4th quarter.
Sheldon Rankins isn't a household name nor will he ever be. Coming from the defensive tackle spot, that distinction is reserved for larger than life performers and personalities like Aaron Donald, Warren Sapp or Ndamukong Suh. Rankins isn't that caliber of player, but today's defensive spotlight will hopefully prove that the Texans defense is what it is in large part because of the under-the-radar contributions of one of its largest starters.
Sheldon Rankins' 2025 Season to Date
What the stats are saying: 15 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 3 QB hits, 1 fumble recovery, 1 defensive touchdown, 77.1 PFF Grade (11th among 125 qualified interior defenders)
What DeMeco Ryans said about Rankins: “I was really interested in getting Sheldon back because knowing the type of player that he was when he was here, the leadership that he provided, him and Will [Anderson Jr.] had a really great connection their first year together and really wanted to keep Sheldon," Ryans said back in July, per Cole Thompson of Texans Wire.
What DeMeco Ryans said (indirectly) about Rankins: "[A pass rush] only works with the interior guys getting the right push. So, I thought our tackles did a good job when we were able to push the pocket and they were able to collapse the edge. That's how the rush works together," Ryans said following a Week 10 win in which Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. combined for 4.5 sacks.
What Sheldon Rankins said about his return from illness: "That knocked me out for a while. A lot of people don't know and a lot of people thought, ‘What type of illness or what type of thing could have someone out this long?’ A lot of people don't know, I was literally laying horizontal in my house, in a dark house, for probably about a month and a half before I could really even sit up without feeling kind of crazy," Rankins explained. "I went through all that. Throughout the process of that, I started the season last year probably around 300 pounds. By the end of dealing with all of that, along with some other things, I was probably down to 255. So, lost all my strength, lost all the weight, power."
What the tape is saying: Although Sheldon Rankins isn't nearly as prolific as he was in his early-career peak with the New Orleans Saints or even during his 2023 campaign with the Houston Texans, getting the big fella back in the middle of the defensive line has been a welcome addition to a Texans defense that has their sights set on evolving from one of the best units in the NFL to the best unit in the NFL.
Rankins' second career touchdown was well-timed. The 31-year-old defensive tackle was slated to be the subject of this week's Defensive Spotlight as is, so his game-clinching fumble recovery and score as time expired only justified the choice.
Defensive touchdown aside, Sheldon Rankins will remain an afterthought on a Texans defense that is loaded with stars at all three levels. While Rankins' impact may not be as noticeable as that of Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, Derek Stingley Jr. or Azeez Al-Shaair. But because Rankins does his job so effectively, it has a domino effect on everything else Houston does on that side of the ball.
As DeMeco Ryans explained, if interior defenders like Sheldon Rankins are able to push the pocket on pass plays, it makes life easier for both Hunter and Anderson coming off the edge. When that happens, opposing quarterbacks have less time to hold onto the ball, meaning Stingley and the rest of the Texans secondary don't have to cover for as long.
On run plays, if Rankins is eating up space and blocks, it frees Houston's linebackers to make plays on the ball. All facets end up working together and accordingly, the Texans defense is one of the best in the NFL. Rankins plays a huge role in that process running as smoothly as it does.
Past Defensive Spotlights
10/8/2025 - Jalen Pitre
10/15/2025 - Danielle Hunter
10/22/2025 - Will Anderson Jr.
10/29/2025 - Azeez Al-Shaair
11/5/2025 - Kamari Lassiter