The Houston Texans liked what they saw in linebacker Garret Wallow leading up to the 2021 NFL draft.
The Texans selected the former TCU Horned Frog with the 170th overall pick in Round 5. Houston linebackers coach Miles Smith interviewed Wallow ahead of the draft, and knew that he would be able to work with Wallow’s 6-2, 230-pound athleticism.
However, there was another aspect of Wallow’s game that impressed Smith.
“What stood out the most for him was just his intelligence,” Smith told reporters on a Zoom call on June 8. “Playing linebacker in our system, yeah, you’ve got to be a great athlete. I think everybody kind of knows that, but the second trait that we look for is just raw intelligence. Can somebody think on the fly? Can somebody, when they get a little rattled, are they still able to stay composed? He was able to do that.”
The Texans have a linebacker on the cusp of his first Pro Bowl in Zach Cunningham, who led the NFL with 164 combined tackles last season. With the Texans’ new Tampa 2 scheme emphasizing the playmaking ability of linebackers, Cunningham will get his chances.
So will Wallow, who has been learning all three of the linebacker positions in the new defense.
Said Smith: “Our linebackers are essentially interchangeable. Because of that, they need to be able to learn all three of the linebacking positions and you’ve got to be able to think to do that. I think he has grown exponentially since he’s been here so far because he has been able to rely on that great attribute that he has, his intelligence; very excited about his future.”
Wallow earned first-team All-Big 12 last season at TCU. If the River Ridge (La.) John Curtis High School product can find a way to build on that in his rookie season at a new level, the Texans’ defense may be in for a quick turnaround.