Houston Texans: Davon Hamilton has the potential the team needs

The Houston Texans need to beef up their defensive line and Davon Hamilton is a guy that is oozing with potential. Why would he be a good fit? Let’s look.

Houston Texans‘ faithful — It’s T-minus five days before the start of the NFL Draft and if you’re like me, I honestly can’t wait until it happens! This draft will be different like none other not because of irreverence but because the global landscape has changed, causing us all to spread apart to ensure we do our part to win the battle against COVID-19.

What originally had been planned was an amazing extravaganza of the country’s top football prospect prominently being featured being shuttled on boats on the waterfront of the Bellagio Hotel right on the Las Vegas Strip.

Up until about a month ago, that was going to be the plan and the NFL was going to stick with it but it’s amazing how quickly things change and how we must adapt to a new way of life until the “all clear” bell has been sounded. That may be far on the horizon but we’ll likely see a gradual prelude into what would eventually happen in the not-so-distant future.

But being able to watch this draft virtually would be interesting to see — we already have had a smidgen of that for the players who have either opted to not attend the draft or did not expect to be there. We see the live stream of them in their homes with their loved ones, celebrating that they’ve reached the apex of their goal to make it to the big leagues.

That will be heavily subdued this season as social distancing is at the forefront and crowds greater than 10 are prohibited so we’ll likely either just see the player react to their selection or with a small group of family.

It’ll be intriguing but what the Houston Texans need to do is invest in the defensive line this draft as it needs to be retooled, especially with the losses of Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Reader. The guys they have now can get the job done but it’s time to start grooming the future of this line behind the veterans that have tried to preserve its integrity.

You know what? I think Davon Hamilton would be a great addition to this team and has all of the positive tangibles that the Houston Texans would like. Most of his experience is with a 4-3 defense but because the Houston Texans run a hybrid-style setup, I think he can find a way to fit into their gameday schemes when offered the opportunity to play.

He should be available in the later rounds and the Houston Texans should take a flyer on him if offered the opportunity when it’s their time to make their pick.

But let’s dig further.

The tangibles

Hamilton is a 6-foot-4, 324-pound defensive lineman with 33-inch arms and 9.75-inch hands.

More from House of Houston

He’s definitely a bruiser that has worked his way up through the ranks at Ohio State but just is barely getting a shot at getting noticed because of all of the talents that have proceeded him.

He was a coveted high-school recruit — Ohio happens to also be his home state — but he gradually clawed his way through the rotation.

I’d expect the same for Hamilton if he were selected to join the Houston Texans, with his strong athleticism and blocking capabilities.

There will be a team that will feel the same way and it might as well be our team.

What the experts are saying

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:

"“Athletic 4-3 tackle who stacked good tape in back-to-back seasons and should garner consideration as a rotational interior lineman with eventual starter potential. He does a nice job of creating leverage with his initial strike and has the athleticism and closing burst to hound running backs with an extended pursuit radius. He flashes needed traits as both a one- and two-gapper, but better skill with his hand-fighting could help unlock quicker wins and clearer paths to the quarterback. His draft stock could be tied to how teams view his upside as a pass rusher.”"

Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network:

"“Davon Hamilton projects as a starting Nose Tackle at the NFL level. Despite one year of starting at Ohio State, Hamilton has excellent polish as a two-gap defender and flashes really surprising skills as a penetration and pressure player. He’s an ideal fit as a penetration nose or as a 1T in an even front defense, where he can collapse the pocket or stuff up the middle and allow his 3T one on one looks and a lot of free flow for his linebackers. Should be an NFL starter sooner rather than later.”"

It’s time to take a look at the tale of the tape:

The bottom line

The loss of Reader will definitely be notable and they need to start grooming someone who can step in fill his void. They’ve signed reliable veteran Brandon Dunn to a three-year, $12 million deal but he’s far from the future.

However, bringing in Hamilton could be, especially with his ability to run-stop and be able to get past blocks to nab his man. He could be just as much of a value pick than Reader was in the fifth-round back in 2016.

I’m enthralled with the possibility of the Houston Texans being able to land him so let’s how all of this would pan out as well as who do they think is Reader’s successor. For all intent and purposes, Hamilton is that guy.

Next. Texans: Reggie Robinson is the dark horse that will shine. dark

Hamilton amassed 66 tackles — 41 solos — along with 20.0 tackles-for-loss, 7.0 sacks, three fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown in 40+ games with the Buckeyes through his career.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s Web site or the Web site for your state’s Department of Health.

Home/Houston Texans