Rookie OT Aireontae Ersery compared to former Texans Pro Bowl star
The second-round pick was drafted higher than any offensive tackle since 2019, when the Texans used a first-round pick on Tytus Howard. Houston liked him so much that there were rumors that the Texans were willing to move up into the top 40 to select him right after Jayden Higgins.
FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang compared the Minnesota All-American to another great Texans offensive tackle who became a Pro Bowl talent, and it's not Laremy Tunsil. Instead, Ersey could be the next Duane Brown.
"In the 23-year history of the Houston Texans, Brown is the only offensive tackle selected by the club to ever make a Pro Bowl," Rang wrote. "I'm dating myself with this evaluation, but I remember Brown as a highly athletic but very raw blocker and a surprising first-round selection out of Virginia Tech. Ersery slipped to the second round but offers a similar blend of size and agility. I think he's going to become a rock up front for Houston. "
Brown, a first-round pick out of Virginia Tech, was considered the top offensive tackle for several seasons during his prime with the Texans. He carried on that success when traded to the Seattle Seahawks, earning an All-Pro nod in 2018.
The hope for Houston is that the rookie can be the best of both worlds as a great pass protector and run blocker for the Texans. The team had a Pro Bowl talent on the blind side for six years with Tunsil, and Ersey could carry on his own path as the franchise's longtime homegrown talent at left tackle in H-Town.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Aireontae Ersery compared to former Texans Pro Bowl OT Duane Brown
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