Texans' Wade Woodaz delivers pick-six that sends Woodaz to NFL stardom
Wade Woodaz, the Texans' rookie linebacker, returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday evening.
The fourth-round pick out of Clemson picked off a pass from No. 1 overall pick and Heisman-winning Fernando Mendoza, securing a crucial pick-six for the Texans.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans praised Woodaz's discipline, saying, "For Wade, he just has to be disciplined with what we're asking him to do. That pick came from him just being where he's supposed to be, finding a way to catch the football and go score."
Woodaz's pick-six was a much-needed rebound after a disappointing performance against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first preseason game.
The Texans' defense had a successful first half, especially in the first quarter, where they found a lot of success.
Woodaz's performance will likely cement his role as a solid backup linebacker and special teams contributor.
He will have another opportunity to put his talents on display in the Texans' final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Friday, August 28.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans will review the tape on Woodaz to see what he needs to improve on and if he is making all of the improvements the coaching staff has asked of him.
Ryans stated, "I'll go back and assess the performance when I watch the tape and watch it in detail. I like the way he said that he's hungry to get better; last week wasn't good enough."
Ryans also mentioned that Woodaz did some good things in practice, but noted that a pick is just one play, and there are more plays to watch to see if he's really taking all the improvements that the coaching staff has asked him to do.
Woodaz's pick-six has likely secured his spot on the final 53-man roster, but he will still need to continue improving to solidify his role.
The Texans will be looking to build on their defensive success in their final preseason game against the Panthers.
Source: Yahoo Sports