Bill O’Brien says Texans’ Charlie Heck is ‘pretty much a tackle’

The Houston Texans drafted a tackle in Charlie Heck, and coach and general manager Bill O’Brien says that is where he will play.

The Houston Texans drafted offensive tackle Charlie Heck in the fourth round on Saturday.

With the Texans already having quality bookends in Tytus Howard on the right and Laremy Tunsil on the left, it begs the question: will Heck be asked to play guard?

Coach Bill O’Brien told reporters after day three of the 2020 NFL Draft that the former North Carolina Tar Heel will stay at his tackle spot.

“I think he’s pretty much a tackle,” O’Brien said. “I think he can play both sides. Great guy. Really smart, works hard. Obviously his dad is a coach. We were thrilled to be able to go up there and get him.”

Heck is the son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck, who was also an NFL offensive lineman for 12 seasons. To say that the 6-8, 315-pound Heck was born to play on the offensive line is an understatement.

In order to get Heck, the Texans actually traded up with the Los Angeles Rams to get to the 126th overall pick by sending their fourth-rounder and two seventh-rounders to the NFC West club.

“We made a couple of moves today that we were happy with and that was one,” O’Brien said. “We were able to go up there and get a guy that we really targeted and we liked at that spot.”

Heck’s first spot that he could have a chance to secure would be swing tackle. The Texans brought back Roderick Johnson on a one-year contract to man the position. Heck provides depth and competition at the position for now.