Neville Hewitt has seen it all as a seven-year veteran in the NFL.
However, the Houston Texans linebacker wants to make sure he knows the team and his opponent each week, which means he delves into hours of film study. The 28-year-old had an efficient game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9 as he racked up 10 combined tackles in 28 defensive snaps.
Fellow linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill says that Hewitt is a guy he appreciates for his professionalism and his approach.
“He’s a true professional,” said Grugier-Hill. “I mean, the guy watches more film than I have ever seen ever, by any teammate I’ve ever played with. He’s always knows what position to be in.”
Although Grugier-Hill and Hewitt are separated by a year in age with Hewitt being the elder, Grugier-Hill says he seeks Hewitt out for advice on how to decipher certain plays or schemes.
Said Grugier-Hill: “Truthfully a lot of time, I go to him for, ‘Hey, what do you think about this play?’ He’s been there for me a lot. Being out there and playing with him, I was excited for him. To see the stat sheet after and just to see him do his thing during the game, it was exciting.”
According to Grugier-Hill, Hewitt is “watching film all day” and will even call him at night to ask if he had noticed certain details from an upcoming opponent.
“He will call me at night and be like, ‘Hey did you see this play?’” Grugier-Hill said. “I’m like ‘No, I didn’t get there yet ‘like how are you already there with that?’ He’s different with that.”
The Texans will need that level of commitment as they work through their struggles that have wrought a 1-8 record. Houston has Week 10 off, but no doubt Hewitt is somewhere holed up with an iPad taking a look at film from the Tennessee Titans, the Texans’ Week 11 opponent they will face on Nov. 21 at Nissan Stadium.