Defensive Tackle/3-4 Defensive End
Texas
6-3 305
40 time: 4.85
Draft board overall prospect rank: #46
Draft board 3-4 defensive end rank: #8
Overall rating: 78*
4/8/10: LaMarr Houston burst onto the scene this year as the best defender on Texas’ underrated defense. Colt McCoy and Texas’ offense was the flash, but their defense has several unknown and underrated defenders and, unbeknownst to the common football fan, will be solid starters at the next level and Houston leads that pack. He was known mostly as a run stopper before this year, playing that 4-3 nose tackle position for the Longhorns, but he stepped up in a huge way with the pass rush this year with 7 sacks, though you have to wonder about the whole one year wonder thing. Houston fits that mold and I like to see players who have at all too good years before I would feel extremely comfortable using a 2nd rounder or higher on them. Houston’s physicality and fitness show that he should be able to keep this up, but I’m not sure if he’ll ever be an elite pass rusher at the next level. His agility and pass rushing moves do not suggest that he will be, though the numbers in his past say otherwise. His leverage is good, but his hand usage needs improve as does his bull rush. He doesn’t have long arms and might not fit perfectly into a 3-4 because he’s a bit undersized height wise. He plays out of control sometimes and is not a great fundamental tackler. If you take away the 7 sacks he had this year, he might not get drafted, which worries me, but even if he’s not an elite pass rusher at the next level, his strength and physicality against the run should keep him alive as a starter in the NFL. I’d say he’s worth a 2nd rounder.
NFL Comparison: Marcus Spears
*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here
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