Alabama Linebacker Henry To'oTo'o Selected by Houston Texans in Fifth Round

To'oTo'o was selected with the 167th overall pick on Day 3 of the draft.

Another Alabama player is heading to the NFL as linebacker Henry To'oTo'o was selected by the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft as the first Crimson Tide player off the board Saturday. 

To'oTo'o was selected in the fifth round with the 167th overall pick on Day 3 of the draft and will join his teammates and fellow linebackers Will Anderson Jr. and Christian Harris in Houston. 

The linebacker played two years at Alabama after two years at Tennessee, where he accumulated 148 total tackles in his Crimson Tide career. Last season. he was second on the team with 94 total tackles to go with 2.5 sacks.

The knock against him was that he doesn't have the best size for the middle linebacker position, but he makes up for it with elite IQ and instincts.

To'oTo'o is the ninth Crimson Tide player drafted behind Bryce Young, Anderson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Tyler Steen, Byron Young, Jordan Battle and Cameron Latu. 

Alabama Interior Linebacker Henry To'oTo'o

NFL Combine/Workout Details

Jamar Coach/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

No. 10
Position: Linebacker
Ht: 6010
Wt: 227
Hand: 1028
Arm: 3268
Wing: 7738
40: 4.62
DOB: 1/5/2001
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.

40-Yard Dash: 4.62 Seconds
10-Yard Split: 1.57 Seconds
Vertical Jump: 32’’
Broad Jump: 9’ 8’’
20-Yd Shuttle: 4.4

What They're Saying about Henry To'oTo'o

© Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: "Assignment-oriented linebacker whose play is steady but unspectacular. To’oTo’o is tough but lacks thump inside and doesn’t have the speed to cut off angles and stop outside run plays before they get to the corner. He’s a good technician but his play is a little more conservative than it will need to be with relatively average traits. To’oTo’o is always under control and generally where he needs to be. He’s just average in coverage and will need to become much more consistent as an open-field tackler. Good backup to below-average starter could be his career path whether he plays inside or outside."

NFL Draft Bible: "Athletic linebacker who can come downhill in a hurry and limit rushing yardage. To’oTo’o has quick hands to stay clean when flowing to the sideline, taking advantage of his speed to make plays. His closing speed is very good. Linemen have a tough time locating and blocking him at the second level as he slips past blocks. In coverage, To’oTo’o displays his speed, carrying slots and tight ends up the seam. He is physical, possessing the ability to shock blockers. Smart linebacker who communicates pre-snap to get his defense lined up. 

"To’oTo’o plays the run first causing him to be out of position after reading the mesh point. He leaves vacated areas behind on run-pass options and is too slow to adjust when the quarterback keeps the ball. In space, he takes bad angles causing him to miss easy tackles. Unfavorable angles and a lack of urgency prevents him from making plays to the sideline consistently. When playing through traffic in the hole, To’oTo’o is not strong enough to consistently get runners down. Long and skinny linebacker with desirable athletic traits. To’oTo’o guesses in the run game and when he does so correctly, he makes splash plays. His speed allows him to flow from sideline to sideline and carry opponents up the seam. He does not read the mesh point well, causing him to end up out of position. To’oTo’o projects as a developmental weakside linebacker who has the athleticism and length to succeed in coverage and pursuit. He has to improve his processing skills to get on the field consistently. His speed should make him a special-teams contributor. "

BamaCentral Analysis

Courtesy of Alabama Athletics

To'oTo'o would probably fit in best at weakside linebacker on a team that plays a 3-4 scheme, like the Eagles or Vikings, but he'll need to improve his ability to drop back into coverage. We like his chances as To'oTo'o can definitely play at the next level, and maybe be a solid starter. An executive for an AFC team told NFL.com that "He knows how to play and he’ll be on a roster for a long time but I don’t see him as a dynamic playmaker.” He' the kind of player you want in your locker room, though. 

Projection: Third round