With the franchise falling to the depths of the NFL’s hierarchy in the early 2020s, the Houston Texans have had a lot of swings and misses in the draft. The Texans' misfortune started in the aftermath of the trade-up to select Deshaun Watson in the 2017 draft and while the Clemson product flashed as a franchise quarterback in his five years in Houston, the Texans had trouble building around him.
Those issues led to the dismissal of Brian Gaine and Bill O’Brien. Still, the remnants of those poor draft classes remain in the league and one prominent bust needs a miracle to keep his career going.
Former Texans Bust Ross Blacklock’s NFL Career in Jeopardy After Release From Giants
KPRC’s Aaron Wilson reports that the New York Giants have terminated the contract of former Texans defensive tackle Ross Blacklock. Blacklock spent last season on New York’s practice squad and will look to find his sixth team in the past three seasons as he hopes to keep his professional career alive.
#Giants terminated contract of Ross Blacklock
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 15, 2025
This is not what the Texans had in mind when they selected Blacklock in the second round (40th overall) in the 2020 draft. Hailed as a pass-rushing specialist coming out of TCU, he managed 67 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in two seasons with the Horned Frogs sandwiched between an Achilles injury that sidelined him for the entire 2018 season.
While NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein noted that his ability to stop the run, take on blocks and technique needed work coming into the league, Blacklock went in the projected first-to-second round range. But his disruptive presence never translated as he made 36 total tackles with a pair of sacks in two seasons with Houston.
Blacklock was traded to the Minnesota Vikings before the start of the 2022 season. While he played in 11 games, he managed just one sack before he was released at the end of training camp. This started a career carousel for Blacklock who has spent time on the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and Giants practice squads over the last two years.
After appearing in just four games during that time, the 26-year-old is running out of chances in the NFL. While a job could open up between now and training camp, Blacklock will have to wait out next week’s draft and hope to keep himself relevant enough to find another opportunity.