Charlie Heck: Texans' Next Great OT?

- Charlie Heck isn't going to garner much national attention. Outside of coming from a football background, the second-year tackle's story doesn't move the media needle. 

He does, however, move defenders on a daily basis for the Houston Texans. Practice after practice, Heck's the player that continues to garner praise from coaches as the breakout star on the offensive line.

Barring any injury or unforseen setback. Heck should be starting at right tackle come Week 1 against Jacksonville. Plenty of players deserve a chance to see more reps. 

Heck has earned his.

“I don’t know that there’s a player on the team that improved as much as Charlie did from the start of the offseason program to this point right now,” coach David Culley said before Thursday’s practice. “That’s not surprising because he has a great work ethic."

An up-and-down rookie season led to many questions about Heck's future at NRG Stadium. Now, despite being drafted out of North Carolina less than 18 months ago, he is attempting to integrate with a new regime and front office. 

No one is safe from the chopping block. Fellow 2020 selection Isaiah Coulter found that out last week, becoming one of the first players released as Houston looks to find its final 53-man squad. 

Heck was a step behind just by hearing his name called on draft weekend last April. All teams were forced to cancel their preseason games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those games are essential for young players looking to earn reps. 

Instead, Heck had his "welcome to the NFL" moment in Week 11 against the Patriots. He played in three games, starting the season finale against Tennessee. 

The results? Mixed at best.  

"This year I wanted to take full advantage of this one,” Heck said after practice. “I was here every day living in the weight room, meeting everybody and learning the new offense. That was big for me.” 

Heck spent the offseason working with new teammates like Justin Britt. He also worked outside the complex with Billy Voltaire of Volt PT at Kinitro Fitness, plus extra reps with Texans strength and conditioning coach Mike Eubanks. 

The plan was to get stronger while also turning extra weight into extra muscle. Three weeks into training camp and Heck looks lean when lining up on the offensive line. 

He also continues to be one of the more consistent pass-protectors when blocking for either Tyrod Taylor or rookie QB Davis Mills. 

“He’s going into that (second) year where you want to see progress made." Culley said. "We’re starting to see that. That’s what happens when you do what he did to be in the position he’s in right now.”

Heck's extended work at right tackle stems from Tytus Howard being a versatile chess piece. The Texans have utilized the third-year tackle's versatility by playing him a both guard positions and even reps at left tackle. 

This allowed Heck to begin taking reps on the first-team offense. Despite Howard only playing the edge since arriving in Houston, maybe the job is Heck's to lose? 

“The big thing is confidence,” Heck said. “I was able to get in some of the games at the end of the year, and I definitely had my struggles, but I kind of proved to myself that I could play in this league. I carried that into the offseason.”  

Houston can't waste time trying to find "position fits" entering mid-August. The five best offensive linemen will trot out September 12. As of now, Heck is one of them. 

Yes, confidence is key. So is coming from an NFL background. 

Heck's father, Andy, currently serves as the offensive line coach for the Kansas City Chief. Prior to pairing up with names like Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, Andy was a first-round pick out of Notre Dame, playing 163 in the NFL with Seattle, Chicago and Washington.  

Charlie can further follow his father's footsteps and a staring job in Week 1 with a strong outing against the Dallas Cowboys Saturday night in Arlington. 

“Football’s always been part of my life,” Charlie said. “What’s special for me is my dad was always my dad first. As I got older, he was a great resource for me. One thing he always says about camp is find something to work on and improve every day.”