Here is everything Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said after Day 10 of training camp, including what sets defensive end Will Anderson Jr. apart from other players across the league, his thoughts on some of the Texans’ new defensive additions and whether he will become a coach after he retires.
Question: On what he tries to help DT Kayden McDonald with
Sheldon Rankins: “Just the little nuances. I think when you get so much thrown at you as a young guy, completely different defense than he's ever played in, it's knowledge that we're counting on him. The pressure that I'm sure he puts on himself to be perfect every day. A lot of things can get lost in translation, whether it's alignment, whether it's hands, whether it's pad level
on bull rushes, or being able to skate blocks at this level, how different it is than college. For me, it's just pulling him aside and being able to articulate a lot of those things in a way that is slowed down so he can work through those things at a slowed pace. Download those things so that when he gets out there playing real football, it kind of becomes second nature.”
Q: On what sets DE Will Anderson Jr. apart from other defensive players in the NFL
Rankins: “I think the turning point for players of his caliber is when they realize that when they want to take it over, they can take it over. I think he's getting to that point where he realizes if he wants to shut practice down, he can shut it down. If he doesn’t want them to get a playoff, they won't get a play off. If he doesn’t want them to get a pass off, they won't get a pass off. If he wants a tackle for loss every play, he can go do it. I think he's starting to get to that point where he finally realizes that, ‘Man the game is in the palm of my hands.’ He also understands the responsibility that comes with it. I think that's what makes him so special is that you get a lot of guys in that position of being that dominant, being that good and they kind of look at it like it was supposed to happen to them. Whereas he looks at it as he's grateful for every chance he gets to be the player that he is. I think he's starting to realize the power that he has, that his hands, feet, helmet, all that, all of the above and he's letting it be known every day.”
Q: On what about DE Will Anderson Jr. allows him to take over games
Rankins: “I think it's just the relentless work ethic. I think he's never shy about looking for knowledge. I think certain guys get to a point where they're so good or they're at a level where they feel like asking questions is weird in a sense, but that's not him. He's always looking for ways to improve, whether it's film study, whether it's his recovery, whether it's pass rush moves, whether it's alignment in the run game. From the first day he got here, the first thing he does when he gets in the locker room is grab the iPad and watch the practice film. He still does it today. His locker's right next to mine, so we generally go over things. He's asking me about his alignment here, his hands here. He's always, as good as some of the reps look to other people, none of it is ever good enough for him. I think that's what makes him so special, to be at a point where he's the highest-paid non-quarterback and no trade clauses and all types of craziness like that. To still be like, ‘What more can I do?’ I think that just speaks volumes about who he is.”
Q: On what DE Jadeveon Clowney and DE Logan Hall add to the defense
Rankins: “I think Logan gives us that versatility, that I think we had with [former Texans DE Denico] Autry, in a sense. If we needed him to, he can go outside and play in. He's stout enough, strong enough to play from wide nine all the way to zero. Clowney, the resume speaks for itself. No matter where he's been, he's produced in the run and in the pass. Adding both of those guys to what we already had with myself, Will, Danielle [Hunter], Tommy [Togiai], adding in Kayden as well, the sky's the limit for where we could be. We're seeing flashes of it out here. The more we're able to orchestrate together, collab and craft together, we just hope to get it up to speed to be humming by Week 1.”
Q: On what perfection looks like for interior defensive linemen
Rankins: “Disruption. I think we joke a lot in our room because it's a race every snap and the race is more so inside guys to outside guys because if we're not perfect, Will and Danielle are already there. Even when you are perfect, they probably still beat you there. For us, inside, it's about disruption. It's about being able to clog lanes. It's about being able to get quarterbacks off their spot, not allowing them to be comfortable so those guys on the edge can rush freely and do what they do without thinking. It's about always talking to the inside guys about beating blocks. I think if you start looking at how many plays you made, you often start skipping the process of defeating the blocks in front of you. I never chase the plays. I always chase beating blocks because if I beat the block, nine times out of ten I'm going to give myself an opportunity to make a play. I think for us inside, continue to be disruptive, continue to beat blocks and continue to collapse pockets, be disruptive in the run game and allow those specimens on the edge to do what they do.”
Q: On DE Jadeveon Clowney being a second veteran in the defensive line room
Rankins: “It's great. I think in a way, it continues to drive guys like myself. I'm obviously getting older, but you still see a guy who's a little bit older than myself who continues to still do it at a high level. It's great to add. I think one thing he probably doesn't get as much credit for is his football IQ. He's already in the meeting rooms talking about things he sees, as much film as he studies and being able to bounce that knowledge off myself, [DE] Will [Anderson Jr.], [DE] Danielle [Hunter], and other young guys in the room, it's been great. Then obviously once he takes the field, you see why he was the number one overall pick. No matter what jersey he puts on, he's a highlight reel waiting to happen.”
Q: On what makes Training Camp worth it
Rankins: “I think it's probably a multitude of things. Some personal, some team-wise. I think team-wise, I just think being a part of something special, you don't take it for granted going into year 11. I think I was talking to somebody about this offseason, this team has a very college feel to it in terms of how close everyone is and the inside jokes. With how much we clown each other and how much you can clown your brother, but it's not taken personally. It’s that type of feeling. That's hard to find in the NFL. That's really hard to find because of the business of it and everybody's generally out for themselves. This is a team that genuinely cares about each and every man, being successful as a player and as a person. That shows in the way we play on defense, on offense, special teams. That shows in the way we cheer each other on. That shows in the way we congregate outside of the meeting rooms and the field. I'd say that. Then personal is like, I've went through injuries in my career that I felt like at certain times may have kind of knocked me off of where I felt like I was ascending at the time or different things like that. Or illnesses that I may have went through. For me, every day I touch the field, whether it's practice, whether it's a game, I'm doing it for the men next to me. I'm also making sure I remind everybody that, ‘Yeah, I'm still that guy.’ I can still do this at a high level. First down, second down, third down, crunch time, it doesn’t matter, put me in the game. I can make a play playing with whomever, next to whomever. Whatever style is needed, whatever is needed, I've always shown throughout my career that I can make those plays. Even going into year 11, I'm always finding ways to somehow make myself feel disrespected so that each and every time I step out here, it's like, ‘Nah, forget that.’”
Q: On whether he sees himself becoming a coach after retiring from playing
Rankins: “That is not something I'm seeing. But everybody, and I do mean everybody, tells me that's something I'll get to. We'll cross that bridge when I get there. But, yeah, I think I'll be doing the game a disservice. I think I'll be doing myself a disservice if I didn't impart all the wisdom that I have onto my teammates. I think the beautiful thing is I understand what it's supposed to look like, but I also understand what it's supposed to look like if you're undersized. I think I have the ability to make it relatable to whatever the body type is, whatever the skill set is. That's why you see me do that. I just understand that when it's over, me just having all this wisdom and going home and just relaxing does nothing. If I can pull Tommy aside and help him make three more plays, if I can pull [DT] Kayden [McDonald] aside and help him make another play or two, I'm going to do that. Even if I can do it for [DE] Will [Anderson Jr.], if I can do it for [DE] Danielle [Hunter], like whomever that I see. If there's a chance there to clean something up or make it a little more swift or something like that, I'm going to do that. I think I've had guys pour that into me, so to be able to do that and give that back to the game, I feel like I'm supposed to do that.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans DT Sheldon Rankins said after Day 10 of training camp
