Houston Texans: The Year Of Keith Mumphery?

It’s now four days and counting Houston Texans fans.

The reality of the NFL season is now upon us and it’s time to see our favorite players charge out onto the field.

The preseason was actually one of the most entertaining that I’ve seen in awhile with a lot of position battles that took place.

Honestly, have you ever remember a year where it was so competitive?

I can’t but it’s certainly notable to mention it.

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The fact that this team was featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks gave us more of a inside scoop on what training camp is like for our guys.

Aside from the sideline interviews and the press conferences we really weren’t acquainted with the personalities that make up the 53-man roster.

We do now though.

It was tough to see some of our favorite players such as Charles James II (Baltimore Ravens practice squad), Kourtnei Brown (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and EZ Nwachukwu (Miami Dolphins practice squad) get cut but it’s awesome they’ve found a home somewhere.

I’m sure the highly-regarded documentary series helped out with that.

But let’s talk about a guy who made the team as a rookie, which is quite an incredible feat.

Just who am I talking about?

2015 fifth-rounder Keith Mumphery.

Not only that, but he will be the starting punt returner according to Texans’ insider Jayson Braddock:

For a guy that was a long shot to make this team, he has not only worked his starting lineup but has pushed Keshawn Martin closer and closer out the door.

Martin did surprisingly make the roster as a backup and if Mumphery — as well as mid-camp scoop Quentin Demps — continues the intensity that he had during the preseason, Martin will eventually be out the door.

Mumphery is exactly the type of player you want in the locker room — a born leader, a fast-starter and doesn’t need much help once he learns a particular skill set.

He is a champion in the classroom with him already receiving his degree in Communications from Michigan State, his alma mater and is currently working on his Master’s degree as well.

He biggest knock was that he wasn’t able to recover when a particular play would go south but he has shown in camp that he has overcame that particular downside and is ready to give everything he has on the field.

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Hell, he was diving for loose balls all over the place during the preseason.

Luckily, with one of the most talented receiving corps the Texans have had in years, the pressure won’t be on him as a starting wide receiver and he’ll have to time to learn and hone his craft as the lead punt returner.

This was why his playing severely diminished his senior year, going from starting 12 out of 13 games in 2012 to three out of 14 games in 2013. He rebounded nicely last season starting 11 out of 13 games for the Spartans.

At Michigan State, Mumphery had more than 88 catches for 1,348 yards — 15.3 yards per catch — with seven touchdowns in a total of 54 games and 26 starts.

He also racked up 495 yards off 26 catches in 2014 at about 19.0 yards per catch.