July 25, 2008 The Texans have inked first-round pick Duane Brown (Virginia Tech) to a five-year deal worth $11.5 million, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Our View:His strong athleticism will make him a good fit in the Texans' blocking scheme. He lacks polish however, and will need time before he can establish himself as a solid starter with the club.
July 12, 2008 Reports out of Houston suggest top rookie Duane Brown could push veteran Ephraim Salaam for the starting job, an intriguing position battle that will take form at training camp this season, according to ProFootballWeekly.com.
Our View:Salaam is lauded for his veteran leadership and savvy at the tackle position, but the Texans are enamored with Brown's speed and voracity. The Texans have been more than happy to put youthful commodities in line for positions of prominence, especially on defense. The success of players such as Dunta Robinson, Mario Williams, and Amobi Okoye shows this coaching staff can mentor Brown along as quickly as possible, and thus we have a defensive position battle to watch as training camp approaches. Granted, he's playing on the offensive line and the bulk of the youthful success has been on defense, but the Texans showcased strong progress in advancing this unit last season. Brown may be the next brick in that foundation.
May 7, 2008 The most interesting competition along the Houston Texans’ offensive line is going to be left tackle, the most important position. Rookie Duane Brown is trying to supplant veteran Ephraim Salaam, according to the Houston Chronicle. Even though Brown played left tackle for only one season and offensive tackle for just three seasons at Virginia Tech, he's going to get a baptismal by fire. In other words, assistant head coach Alex Gibbs and offensive line coach John Benton are going to put him in and let him learn on the run.
Our View:Brown’s work ethic has been questioned, and many experts thought the Texans reached for him in the first round of draft. If Brown wins the job in training camp, there will almost certainly be some growing pains at the vital left tackle position, during his rookie campaign.
April 26, 2008 The Texans selected All-ACC selection Duane Brown with the 26th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Brown started his college career as a tight end, but he was moved to offensive tackle in his second season.
Our View:The big body has the physical tools to become a starter in the NFL, but his work ethic has been questioned. Most first-round selections are expected to be NFL ready, but this isn't the scouting take on Brown. That said the Texans addressed a need, and believe he has the most long-term upside among the remaining offensive lineman on the board.
