Brandin Cooks got a good feeling from spending time with John Metchie.
Although the former Alabama receiver is working back from a torn ACL sustained in the SEC Championship Game in December 2021 and is extremely limited during organized team activities, Cooks has spent enough time with the 21-year-old in and around NRG Stadium to know what he likes.
“That kid’s special,” Cooks told reporters Tuesday at Houston Methodist Training Center. “You can just tell it. You know when you talk with someone, you just get that feel about a guy; the way that he goes about his business.”
The Texans traded up to No. 44 overall in Round 2 of the 2022 NFL draft to add Metchie to their roster. The addition of the 5-11, 187-pound wideout gives another weapon for second-year quarterback Davis Mills, and provides a complement to Cooks.
What impresses Cooks most about Metchie is his focus on the details.
Said Cooks: “Obviously right now he’s not going with us, but his focus and paying attention to the little details that he can pay attention to — I like him and I can’t wait to get to work with him for sure.”
Coach Lovie Smith said that with Metchie coming off a major injury, the team will slowly work him back.
“Again, as you look, the guys that aren’t getting reps, they have something going on,” Smith said. “If a guy’s getting a few reps, we’re kind of easing them back into full competition.”
In Metchie’s final season at Alabama, the two-time Jon Cornish Trophy winner caught 96 passes for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns playing alongside Jameson Williams, who was taken No. 12 overall in Round 1 by the Detroit Lions. If the Texans are able to get a one-two punch going on the perimeter that includes Metchie, Houston may be able to get a fair evaluation of second-year quarterback Davis Mills.
