Togiai and Davidson call outs

The defensive line had two other winners, if you will, in one-on-ones. The first is DT Tommy Togiai, who was brilliant on Friday as well. His quickness is alarming for interior OL but his stature and leverage are an advantage against taller interior players. He can get into them with his burst off the snap but then his quick arm under move gets the guards/centers out of position. He then controls them at that point. I think I saw him go four times and he convincingly won all four.

The other one to mention is recently signed DT Marlon Davidson. I was a huge Davidson fan when he was entering the Draft years ago out of Auburn. I envisioned him as a Denico Autry type who could play inside and out and he ended up being a second round pick. But, he hadn’t able to stick anywhere, unfortunately, but, fortunately, he was available after a workout with the Texans at the exact right time. DT Kyonte Hamilton was put on IR and there are already four DL on PUP and/or not practicing.

So, Davidson got a long look on Saturday and didn’t disappoint, in my opinion. In other words, it was validation, in a sense, as to why I thought highly of him. He threw move after (different) move at interior pass protectors throughout the period. He worked the old school Reggie White hump move on his first rep and got to the QB. Then, he countered with an inside rip move on his next rush. It wasn’t until Davidson went up against OC Jarrett Patterson that the newest Texan was slowed down just a bit.

Patterson and Deculus call outs too!

By the way, Patterson has looked really good this camp and improved each and every day. As he told us back in the spring, he finally had an offseason where he could focus on getting his body stronger and better and not rehabbing. That work is really paying off.

The other player that continues to get my attention in one-on-ones is former LSU product Austin Deculus. Everything about his first one-on-one rep against Solomon Byrd was top notch. Pad level. Knee bend. Lateral agility. Punch and hands. I put an asterisk near that rep because it was “teaching tape” good. THAT Austin Deculus is the one that I want to watch at all times.

More 1-on-1s

OC Jake Andrews and DT Tim Settle had one heck of a rep, like two Toros colliding, swapping shots with each other’s horns. Settle tried to shock/yank Andrews, but the former wrestler Andrews knows how to keep his leverage when he’s pulled/moved in a disadvantageous direction. Andrews sunk his hips and was able to stay in front of Big Tim.

Former SMU product OG Jaylon Thomas had a pair of good reps, first anchoring against the power of rookie DT Junior Tafuna and then doing so on a later rep against newly signed Haggai Ndubuisi.

DT Mario Edwards Jr had an excellent session in one-on-ones as well. He worked a swipe/chop to get to win on his first rep. Then, he ripped inside to get free on his second rep.

DT Sheldon Rankins did much the same on his rep. He burst off the ball and got on Tytus Howard’s edge quickly. If Rankins is able to do that, an interior OL has really no chance, because Rankins is so powerful and already low to the ground. He can bend that rush to the quarterback as he did on that rush.

The rookie of the OL, Aireontae Ersery, was able to win a rep v. DE Darrell Taylor when they squared off. Taylor appeared to have an inside path and took it, but the former Golden Gopher All-American just slid with Taylor inside, washing him all the way down the LOS, away from the QB.

I liked OT Zach Thomas’ rep against Dylan Horton. The former San Diego State star flashed some great feet sliding with Horton throughout the rep. Thomas has quietly been getting my attention the past few days.