Houston Texans: Could Brevin Jordan buck the young tight end trend?
The Houston Texans had limited draft capital in the 2021 NFL Draft, and put most of their picks towards the offensive side of the football. With the current state of affairs surrounding Deshaun Watson, Houston opted for a quarterback early in the third round, selecting Stanford’s Davis Mills. The Texans then selected Michigan wide receiver Nico Collins, then selected Miami tight end Brevin Jordan on day three. They rounded out the draft with Roy Lopez.
Outside of Collins, who many argue is one of the better values on day two, Jordan might be the most intriguing. This is because there might be a path for him to get targets and move up the depth chart sooner rather than later. Sitting in his way (according to current depth charts) are Jordan Akins and Kahale Warring, which aren’t exactly giant obstacles.
There’s a chance that Brevin Jordan can buck the young tight end trend with the Houston Texans in 2021.
That trend for young tight ends, if you follow the draft well (which most do nowadays) is that it’s hard to be a contributor at the position in year one. The position is one of the hardest to acclimate to when transitioning to the NFL. Many highly sought after prospects have not lived up to year one expectations, some most recent being T.J. Hockenson and O.J. Howard. Even Noah Fant, despite the flashes, only had 40 catches in his rookie campaign. That reality, even for pass-catching/move types, is evident.
The second trend/hurdle Jordan has to climb is in regards to athletic testing. His testing numbers likely contributed to his fall into day three, as it’s more likely for more athletic tight ends to succeed in the NFL.
Despite the hurdles, there are positives that could help Jordan translate quickly into this offense, at least as a pass catcher. He has the versatility to line up and win in the slot, and his run after the catch ability, most notably his straight line speed, makes him perfect for schemed touches in the quick passing game. That speed can translate to targets vertically as well, where Jordan thrived at the collegiate level.
Obviously, because of the rules of thumb regarding early production in the NFL for tight ends, it’s important to remember that this isn’t suggesting Brevin Jordan has a massive year with the Houston Texans. Despite the lack of top end talent outside of Brandin Cooks, it’s hard to imagine we see a big year.
However, seeing 40-50 targets isn’t out of the realm of possibility for Jordan in 2021. He has a higher ceiling and is a more dynamic athlete (despite the RAS numbers) than the guys ahead of him on the depth chart. The uncertainty at quarterback will certainly complicate things as the season starts as well, but patience will be key with that franchise in 2021. Jordan has the receiving chops to make an impact though, and he could buck the trend in year one, and potentially, beyond.