The Houston Texans took the NFL by storm last season. They did so in large part due to a stellar 2023 rookie class that included the likes of CJ Stroud, Tank Dell, Juice Scruggs, and Jarrett Patterson, among others. It will be hard for Houston to replicate that success in 2024, especially without an incoming first-round at their disposal. However, that doesn't mean that they can't find contributors from this class. One of their newcomers looks especially like a Texans rookie sleeper for the 2024 season, and that would be sixth-round former Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan.
Jordan is small but dynamic
If there was a major reason why Jordan slipped to the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it would likely be because of his size and athletic measurements. He's a small guy at 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. There are backs who can be effective in the NFL despite their diminutive stature. Most of those guys are fast, however, and that's something that Jordan isn't. He ran a 4.56 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.
Regardless, that doesn't dispute Jordan's skill as a running back. All he has done is produce the last two seasons after playing a minor role in his first three years in college football. Jordan toted the ball 323 times since 2022 and turned those carries into 1,943 yards and 17 touchdowns. 13 of those scores came in 2023. He is adept at making big plays.
Jordan averaged over six yards a carry in his final two seasons at Louisville. But in addition to his ability to make things happen on the ground, Jordan is a solid receiver as well. He wasn't really asked to participate much in that department in his first three seasons but he picked it up in his final two years at Louisville. He brought in 31 passes for 331 yards and an additional score.
Jordan's utility doesn't stop there either. He got plenty of collegiate experience as a kick returner as well and made the most of it. Jordan returned two kicks to the house throughout his career and averaged 27.2 yards per return. With the new kickoff rules the NFL implemented, Jordan could find an immediate role in that department with the Texans.
Texans depth chart
On paper, it may seem too daunting of a task for Jordan to work his way into the running back rotation. The Texans' traded for Joe Mixon in the offseason and gave him a new three-year extension. Dameon Pierce racked up 1,104 total yards as a rookie. Those two are fine players.
However, both of them saw their play turn for the worse in 2023. Mixon has not been a very efficient player for a while and that trend continued last year. He hasn't averaged more than 4.2 yards per carry in a season since 2018, the only year he's accomplished that feat. Mixon also ranked 36th among running backs last season in yards per touch (4.6), 35th in yards created per touch (3.2), and 41st in breakaway run rate according to playerprofiler.com.
Pierce wasn't much better. His starting role was taken from him by Devin Singletary and for good reason. He averaged just 2.9 yards per carry, 3.3 yards per touch, and 2.69 yards created per touch. Pierce ranked 50th or worse among running backs in each of those statistics.
The only other running back with NFL experience on the Texans' roster is Dare Ogunbowale, who primarily serves as a special teams ace. It isn't unrealistic for Jordan to come in and earn himself a role on this team despite his modest draft capital. He's a player to watch during OTAs and training camp.
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