Mr. Irrelevant: 10 Reasons Cheta Ozougwu Can Make Houston Texans' Roster
It is a special day in the life of a football player when their name is announced in the NFL Draft—regardless if it is the No.1 overall selection or the very last selection in the draft.
The last player selected in the draft, also known as Mr. Irrelevant, is never a lock to make the opening-day roster for the team they were selected by. Still, we’ve seen elite talent go undrafted or taken in the last round. Nobody can ever be ruled out of making an impact in the NFL—especially for a team like the Houston Texans, which desperately needed all sorts of defensive upgrades heading into the draft. Now, we take a look at why this year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Rice defensive lineman Cheta Ozougwu, will crack the Texans’ opening-day roster.
First, here’s the tale of the tape:
Career stats: 198 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 10 sacks
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 247 lbs
40-yard Dash: 4.89
Bench Press: 26.0
Vertical Jump: 34.5
Broad Jump: 119.0
3-Cone Drill: 7.06
20-yard Shuttle: 4.31
60-yard Shuttle: N/A
10. He Was Already Selected
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The first reason Cheta Ozougwu has a chance to make the opening-day roster, which many fail to take into consideration when evaluating whether or not players will make a team, is that he was already selected by the Houston Texans.
Every year we see undrafted free agents and late-round selections make major contributions. He clearly stood out in some areas to cause Houston to call his name. If they saw something in him now, they should see something in August.
9. He Plays Defense
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The Texans dedicated this draft to improving their defense, as they aim to take the AFC South. Last year, they put out one of the worst defenses each week due to injuries and lack of talent. They hired Wade Phillips to be the defensive coordinator and switch to a 3-4 defense. They need defensive players to round out the defense.
8. Can Never Have Enough Defensive Linemen
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It is a motto I live by. The game of football is won in the trenches and a team can never have enough defensive linemen to fill the roster. If a team can create a solid rotation full of athletic defensive linemen, they will have a chance to win—just ask the New York Giants.
If a defensive line can control the trenches, they control the pace of the game. Not only does the d-line control the tempo, they greatly improve the rest of the defense.
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7. Versatility
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A defensive coordinator can never have enough versatile players on its roster—especially in a 3-4 defense. Cheta Ozougwu was a defensive lineman at Rice, but he projects to play as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.
Wade Phillips will enjoy having a player on the roster with the ability to play either position, especially after the injuries suffered to defenses in the state of Texas last year.
6. Pass Rush
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Although he does not have elite, or even great, athleticism, he does offer Phillips quickness off the edge as a pass rusher. With a trio of fantastic linebackers in DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing and now second-round pick Brooks Reed, Ozougwu would be able to make an impact as a “go-get 'em” quarterback attacker from the outside linebacker position.
He will always be untouched, with the focus on the other linebackers, Mario Williams and first-round pick J.J. Watt.
5. Run Support
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The AFC boasts several power running backs and elite rushing attacks overall. The Texans must improve in run support, which is where Ozougwu will be able to help out.
In his career, he has forced four fumbles and accumulated 26 tackles for loss. Without attention centered on him, he’ll have free range into the backfield to help his teammates annihilate running backs.
With the punishment each NFL player suffers each and every week, Phillips will enjoy throwing a body at some of these power runners. He is a sound tackler who can unleash pain on ball carriers.
4. Raw Talent
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Cheta has untapped potential, which Wade Phillips, of all defensive coaches, will surely bring out. Phillips has the ability as a coordinator to get the most out of his players and will be able to push a young man like Ozougwu.
He can be molded into the player Phillips wants and he has the time to do it, with a top-level linebacking core now with Cushing, Ryans and Reed. He is getting better in all aspects of football, and he already shows flashes in run support and rushing the passers.
3. Work Ethic
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Ozougwu is intelligent and an extremely hard worker. His motor is constantly running as he pushes himself to the fullest. He will get the maximum effort from his body to complete tasks on and off the field. This is the type of player teammates feed off. He will be a great fit in the locker room.
2. High Character
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A local product, Cheta is a mature player, which in today’s NFL is sometimes a rare commodity. When it comes to players like these, we want to see them succeed. We enjoy the stories of local products playing for local teams. Ozougwu is an intelligent man who is active in community service.
1. Determination
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The most underrated aspect in competitive sports. You can never underestimate a player who has the heart, desire and determination to succeed. Cheta will prove to the coaching staff that he deserves to be on the field. He has the work ethic to prepare himself for the NFL.
He flashes talent on the field, but he is fantastic off the field and will help in community service. This is the type of player teams want in their locker rooms. He should become a local fan favorite in Houston.
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