This sleeping giant will emerge for the Texans in 2015
The Houston Texans enter 2015 as a team in transition along the offensive line. Longtime center Chris Myers was released in a salary cap move. Ben Jones, who started all 16 games at guard last season will slide over to take Myers' place this season. That leaves the starting left guard spot open.
The Texans didn't sign anyone to fill the position in free agency, nor did they draft a lineman this year. That means someone already on the roster will need to step. Luckily for the Texans, they have a talented in-house candidate ready to take on a larger role this season:
Xavier Su'a-Filo, G
The Texans thought enough of the 6-foot-4, 307-pound Su'a-Filo to take him with the first pick of the second round out of UCLA in last year's draft. He missed vital time during OTA's because of UCLA's academic calendar, but appeared in 13 games, with one start in 2014. Still, his 130 snaps were not the kind of production a team typically expects from a player selected that high. This season, that figures to change.
With a full offseason of work behind him, Su'a-Filo described the difference as 'night and day' and said he's playing with much more confidence than he did as rookie.
Su'a-Filo entered the NFL with a reputation as strong blocker in both the passing and running games. Look for him to make good on that potential in 2015. The 24-year-old will claim the starting left guard job and establish himself on what should again be one of the better offensive lines in the NFL.
Photo credit: George Gojkovich/Getty Images
