The first nine questions Bill O'Brien answered Thursday were about the quarterback position.
The Texans head coach went to the podium at Lucas Oil Stadium for a press conference, and was peppered about the QB spot.
While five of those first nine questions dealt with Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg, and his experience coaching the signal-caller in Happy Valley in 2013, O'Brien also pinpointed what he looks for at the position.
"Most importantly, you have to go out on the practice field and earn the respect of your teammates," O'Brien said. "And then go out and win games which ultimately earns the respect of your teammates and your team."
Additionally, being a clear communicator is a must for success.
"I think one of the things about playing quarterback is you have to be a great teammate and you have to be able to communicate with everybody on the team," O'Brien said. "With your coaching staff, with everybody in the building, your general manager, your scouts. When you're a quarterback in the NFL, obviously you're the face of the franchise in many ways."
O'Brien added that being "bright", and a "hard worker" are keys to success at that position too. Identifying those attributes is one thing. Finding a player who possesses them is another.
"There are not a lot of people walking the planet who can do it effectively," general manager Rick Smith said. "You've got to have some luck, in a sense of when guys are available and you have the ability to go and get those guys. It's a combination of factors."
Smith and the Texans have the 22nd pick in the NFL Draft.
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Check out photos of the top 100 players of this year's draft class according to Texans analyst John Harris.
