“It feels great out here,” he said. “Coach (Kelvin) Sheppard has been great. Just coaching me up and getting me in the right position to make plays.”
Wherever he ends up lining up on defense, Houston knows special teams will be a big part of his role early on. He’s accepted that challenge, and looks forward to making an immediate impact there.
“Like I said, I’m a dynamic player,” Houston said. “I get in that backfield and I cause havoc. I make plays, I cause turnovers and things like that. Forced fumbles are huge for me (seven forced fumbles in 2021), picks, everything like that. That’s going to be the name of my game.”
Houston and fellow rookie linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez played off the ball together at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, an offseason all-star event for incoming NFL prospects. He said that helped his transition back to an off-the-ball spot, as well as being able to bounce some things off Rodriguez.