Move It Kid: Amobi Okoye Must Prove Himself in 2010
The Houston Texans had high hopes when they drafted Amobi Okoye 10th overall in 2007. The Texans hoped he’d be able to improve their pass rush. After a couple of slumping seasons, Okoye now has to earn his playing time as every top draft pick’s window of opportunity can only stay open for so long.
Okoye has his share of competition with Mario Williams, Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans. He’ll have to show he deserves to start and that he was a good draft pick.
“He’s got to find another level and I think he understands that,” general manager Rick Smith said. “He’s got to find another level of production, he’s got to find another level of intensity, and I think he gets that. We’re expecting to see that.”
Okoye has lost nearly 20 pounds from last season so the Texans organization hopes that being lighter will make him quicker.
Okoye posted 5.5 sacks in his rookie year, but over the 2008 and 2009 season he posted a mere 2.5 sacks total. He needs to begin establishing himself this season. There’s only so much time one can ride on his potential.
The 23 year-old defensive lineman says he feels rejuvenated and is ready to go this season: “Internally I feel stronger,” he said. “You can have the looks, but your muscles may not be what it looks like on the outside.”
Okoye has been dealing with fanfare since his youth. He claims the expectations on him have been ridiculous ever since he started playing.
“I’m not expected as a defensive tackle, I’m expected as Amobi Okoye,” he said. “I finally see the difference.”
Defensive line coach Bill Kollar thinks that Okoye has improved, but not nearly enough to be a star at the NFL level. The stats will have to start showing his improvement. Kollar thinks Okoye’s main problem is his toughness.
“I watched all the games from the year before [2008] and the guys here said he needed to be a more physical player,” Kollar said. “We kept on him: ‘Hey, man you’ve got to hit, when that ball carrier is going down you’ve got to go down and get him, you’ve got to finish plays more.’ It was a big thing. He definitely did a better job, but he can do more." Kollar added, “Don’t come over and stand by the guy, you’ve got to finish it off… If you don’t like getting in there and scrapping and grinding, you can’t play in this league. We’ve got to make sure when the pads are on that’s what he’s doing.”
The Texans are looking to improve their third down pass rush and the spot in the middle is wide open to anyone who earns it. Third round pick Earl Mitchell may earn the spot if Okoye can’t retain it. “One of those two guys will be the other guy inside,” Kollar said.
Typically first-round picks get the benefit of the doubt for a while as they are banked on by the organization to become stars in the league. There’s only so much time they can wait though because a couple of years can be an eternity in the NFL.
The current starter does not see Mitchell as his competition but rather as a teammate: “We’re going to help each other out, I want him on the field too,” Okoye said. “I love the city, I love the team. I just want both of us to work to improve this team.”
That doesn’t mean that Okoye is willing to lose his starting job anytime soon.
“I have inner selfishness, and I think every player should have that…. With that, I would definitely be upset with myself if I am not out there. I’m definitely going to make sure I get to be an every down player.”
Well if the kid wants it, he’s got to go out there and get it. Nothing is a given in the NFL.
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