One Houston Texans rookie from the 2022 NFL draft class that has intrigued Clutch City sports fans is safety Jalen Pitre.
The second-rounder from Baylor graduated from nearby Stafford High School. Not only does Pitre generate fan favorite sentiments from being a local kid coming home to start his NFL career, but the 5-11, 198-pound defensive back is a welcomed infusion of youth and playmaking to the Texans’ secondary.
According to D.J. Bien-Anime, the new Texans beat writer for ESPN, Pitre will be dominating reports coming out of Houston Methodist Training Center.
Camp prediction: Safety Jalen Pitre will be a dynamic force during training camp. The Texans’ second-round pick out of Baylor showcased premier playmaking skills in college. In Pitre’s last season, he finished with 18.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 7 pass breakups and 3 forced fumbles. Some in the NFL compare Pitre to Tyrann Mathieu, Quandre Diggs and Budda Baker. Making plays on the football is Pitre’s forte, and that fits into coach Lovie Smith’s defense. Pitre’s versatility should give him the ability to roam in the box and play deep middle safety. Expect to see plenty of reports of the No. 37 overall pick being a disruptor heading into the season.
Smith gave a favorable report on Pitre on June 7 during the last week of organized team activities.
“He’s been outstanding; knack for the football,” said Smith. “Has done a lot of good things.”
If the Texans are able to have the good things Pitre does in training camp translate to the regular season, it should help Houston improve upon their 25 takeaways in 2021, which were tied for the 10th-most in the NFL. The Texans were the only team with a losing record in the top-10 in takeaways. Adding Pitre allows the Texans a chance to stay in the top-10 and possibly advance further.
