HOUSTON \u2013 When Texans cornerback and return specialist Brandon Codrington reflects on his path to the NFL, there\u2019s a recurring theme: <\/p>\n
\u2018Believe in yourself.\u2019<\/p>\n
That confidence and conviction helped Codrington overcome a lack of ideal size and scholarship offers out of high school.<\/p>\n
Codrington, 25, walked on at North Carolina Central and made enough of an impact as a speedy, instinctive All-American return specialist that he made it to the NFL and became an all-rookie selection with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent.<\/p>\n
The Texans signed the 5-foot-9, 185-pound North Carolina native this offseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour size doesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Codrington told KPRC 2 in advance of his second annual youth football camp at his alma mater, Broughton High School. \u201cIt\u2019s always funny when I run into people on the street who may recognize me or we get to talking and tell them I play professional football. They always say, \u2018Oh, wow,\u2019 because they expect someone in the NFL to be so big. <\/p>\n
\u201cI like giving back to the community I can look the kids in the eye and be like, \u2018I\u2019m no different,\u2019 from a size aspect to them. I\u2019m a big believer in Christ. Believe in God, work hard and the rest will take care of itself. Just have a great circle and believe in yourself.<\/p>\n
At North Carolina Central, a historically black college and university competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Codrington returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown in a victory over Alcorn State. <\/p>\n
He was the third leading punt returner at the Football Championship Subdivision level with a 15.0 average to lead the conference. As a senior, he averaged 19.6 yards per punt return with two touchdowns. He finished his career with 2,148 return yards, four touchdowns and 93 tackles and 10 pass breakups in 41 career stats.<\/p>\n
Now, he\u2019s a full-fledged NFL player competing for a roster spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest thing is just telling the kids that anything you want to do, you can achieve it,\u201d Codrington said. \u201cI had dreams and aspirations of playing professional football since I was the age of seven when I started playing Pop Warner. Stay in school, make sure your grades are good.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a walk-on in college, I didn\u2019t have any offers so I had to make sure that the classroom was taken care of so that I could walk on to get into schools as a student and then try to pursue my dreams of football.\u201d<\/p>\n
At North Carolina Central, Codrington\u2019s coaches had a background in professional football. They encouraged him and helped him develop his niche on special teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust leaning into them, figuring out how they were able to get to their dreams because they also went to HBCU schools,\u201d Codrington said. \u201cThe biggest thing was just taking advantage of every opportunity I had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Codrington signed with the New York Jets initially after going undrafted. He was then traded to the Buffalo Bills. He had 619 return yards overall as a rookie and was named to the Pro Football Writers of American all-rookie squad.<\/p>\n
He spent last season on the Bills practice squad, appearing in four games. He has nine career tackles, a 10.0 punt return average and a 27.2 kickoff return average with 1,052 career overall all-purpose yards.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt good,\u201d Codrington said of his experience in Buffalo. \u201cIt really just solidified my beliefs that I could stick and that I was capable of making plays and being in the National Football League. That was really just a motivation factor that just told me that it was possible that I could stick.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the Texans, Codrington is being coached by veteran special teams coordinator Frank Ross and cornerbacks coach Dino Vasso. He\u2019s learning a lot so far and enjoying his interactions with his teammates, including Derek Stingly Jr., Jalen Pitre, Kamari Lassiter and Jaylen Reed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love it, especially the room that I\u2019m in, being around some guys who know football and study football,\u201d Codrington said. \u201cIt\u2019s great. I always play up to who I\u2019m around, just being around that competitive nature and guys who think they\u2019re the best and know that they\u2019re the best, it has to just bring the best out of you. I love it.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrank Ross, great, great coach. He has that fire. That\u2019s what I had college, so it all just feels like I\u2019m back in college. I\u2019m back in my roots, Dino\u2019s a great coach. He always prides himself on if the players make a mistake, it\u2019s our fault as coaches for not putting you in the right position.\u201d<\/p>\n