One sit down with coach Lovie Smith and fifth-year NFL cornerback Isaac Yiadom knew he wanted to be a part of the Houston Texans.
Even though Houston is in a rebuilding mode coming off back-to-back four-win seasons, Yiadom knew that the Texans had a leader in Smith.
“I was a big fan of his and a big fan of his defense,” said Yiadom about Lovie Smith, who also serves as defensive coordinator for the Texans. “The way he coaches guys and his message to me. I felt like he was going to coach me and give me a chance to be the best player I could be here. The connection I felt with Lovie, I felt was real right away.”
The Denver Broncos selected Yiadom in the third round (99th overall) of the 2018 NFL draft. After two years with the Broncos, the former Boston College standout was traded to the New York Giants, and one year later, he was moved to the Green Bay Packers.
Now that he is in Houston, Yiadom is looking for a fresh start and consistent playing time on the defensive side of the ball. He has caught the eye of his defensive coordinator throughout the first six practices by playing well in pass coverage and his ability to help in the run game.
“He played some good football at Green Bay last year, so we got a chance to see him play,” coach Lovie Smith said. “But as a cornerback, you notice his size. He’s going to be a special teams contributor for us, but long, he’s physical, shows up every day, good pickup. We have plans for him.”
As an unrestricted free agent, Yiadom was aware that he had choices on his playing destination in 2022 but also knew that he would have to take his offseason training to another level. He spent numerous hours honing his craft down in Florida. He applied his knowledge of going against a four-time NFL MVP in Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers every day in practice to prepare to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster.
“Last year I had the gift of playing against Aaron Rodgers and he did some things in practice that only got us better at corners,” Yiadom said. “That was a great opportunity.”
Yiadom has appeared in 61 career games with 20 starts, recording 107 tackles (76 solo), one interception, one forced fumble, and 12 passes defended.
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