Training Camp Top Five | Daily Brew

Aug 28, 2020 at 04:00 PM

John Harris

Texans Analyst

I've been writing on 5 top 5s for the 2020 Houston Texans season so I'm going to finish up with one final top 5…"Whatcha remember when - 2020 Texans Training Camp" edition.

Each and every Wednesday on our radio show Texans All-Access, we have a segment I call "Whatcha remember when…" Marc Vandermeer has been here for every game, moment and event in Texans history. So, I throw him a number of different scenarios and ask him "Whatcha remember when...Deshuan Watson was drafted." That's just one of many that we've done.

So, with no further ado, here is my final top 5 of the series I started "Whatcha remember when...about 2020 Training camp"?

5. Oh, man, from a personal standpoint, I couldn't sit down for long stretches at a time due in large part to a bad bulging disc in my lower back. Every day was a struggle to get work done, but football never stopped, so I didn't. As such, there are probably some stretches of this camp that I won't remember fully in the future. But, then again, woe is me, right?

4. Daily COVID testing. Who won't remember our noses getting swabbed for six seconds every single day? It's been a testament to the players and staff in the league that followed every protocol the league set forth to keep everyone as healthy as possible. Here's hoping that it continues to stay that way.

3. The arrival of running back David Johnson was exactly what this offense needed. The first day of training camp when we saw Johnson for the first time as a Texan. Man, I was smitten with his agility, quickness, vision and explosiveness that could make him one of the more valuable weapons in this Texans offense in 2020.

2. The physical stature of the rookie class in 2020. Here's what I mean...when I get a chance to watch college games in the fall or head down to the Senior Bowl in January, the first thing that always sticks out is how physically would a player fit in our locker room. My favorite comment when I see a guy with an NFL build is "that guy could fit in our locker room today." 300-lb men are all built differently, as are 180-lb men, so it's imperative to find the ones that are physically up to par to play in the NFL. These rooks in the draft class are certainly all built the right way. The first day of training camp I couldn't take my eyes off defensive lineman Ross Blacklock as he was built more like a 265-lb edge rusher than a 300-lb. Interior menace. Each and every one of these rookies made an impression during training camp and they'll all make an impact on this organization in the near future.

1. Deshaun Watson relishes being the leader of this team/organization and it shows with every rep he takes as the quarterback of this team. Physically, he looks sharp and is throwing the ball as accurately as I can remember in any of his first three training camp sessions. He's mastered this offensive scheme and puts everyone in the right position to make that play, drive and/or game successful. The Texans have a number of different players that I'm excited to watch this season, but I told Marc on radio earlier this summer that one of the things that pulls me out of the doldrums, with this COVID "stuff" going on, is that we get to watch DW4 play each week. That alone makes the consistent nasal swabbing and 6-ft. Social distancing requests worth it.