Who's 'Secret Superstar' for Texans? - PFF

Houston's defensive line has several promising young players but is headlined by this third-year pro.

The Houston Texans ranked just 28th in the NFL in sacks a season ago, but defensive end Jonathan Greenard wasn't the reason why.

But, in a sense, the 25-year-old was the driving force behind the Texans ranking as high as they did - cut his numbers in half, and Houston falls to 31st in the league.

A 2020 third-round pick out of Florida, Greenard had an unspectacular rookie season before taking the sophomore jump to another level. After starting just once in his first year, Greenard started all 12 games he appeared in, posting eight sacks, nine tackles-for-loss and 12 quarterback hits.

Now entering year three, Greenard has a chance to elevate his game - and his team - to a different level. According to Pro Football Focus, Greenard was named Houston's "secret superstar."

There wasn’t much to like about the Texans last season, but second-year edge rusher Jonathan Greenard was very impressive in the playing time he was afforded. Greenard earned an 89.2 PFF pass-rushing grade, rivaling some of the elite pass rushers in the game. He tallied 27 total pressures from 215 pass-rushing snaps and likely earned himself a significantly larger role this year, particularly as the Texans have yet to fully take advantage of the draft collateral acquired from the Deshaun Watson trade. - PFF's Sam Monson

Looking to build on his 2021 season and assert himself as one of the game's best young pass rushers, Greenard will enter 2022 with his third position coach in as many seasons. With Greenard seemingly a budding star, defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire is eager to get the pads on at training camp and start working with the former Gator.

"Strength, length, speed, passion; he doesn’t stop,” Cesaire said. “He has an incredible motor, great, great rush hands. I just love the way he plays each and every snap. I can’t wait to get my hands on him.”

Greenard is no longer a secret around the league; he's Houston's top pass rusher and is poised to keep his career going on an upward trajectory. With his blend of tools and effort, the future is bright for this "superstar."