James Houston: ‘I Need To Fulfill’ Promise Of Rookie Year
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston says his second-year objective is to become a trusted member of the defense.
James Houston was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 Draft and played seven games (two starts) last season.
The 24-year-old started his NFL career impressively with 11 solo tackles, 8 sacks, 11 quarterback hits and one forced fumble.
James Houston wants to transition from eye-catching rookie to someone who can play anytime.
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“For me, I’ve got to get on the field,” Houston said.
“I don’t know what that looks like, but I got to figure something out. Just like last year, it was just like they didn’t really know where to put me. I feel like it’s kind of similar, the same way. They don’t really know where to put me, and so I’m kind of that guy, hopefully I can be a chess piece and not too much of a liability, I guess, where I really can only play one position, where you can move me in different ways and put me on the field.
“So that’s really my goal, to get the team to be able to trust me enough to get to that point.”
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“I know I did some pretty spectacular things (last season), but it was really just a confidence boost for me knowing that I can do it at this level because I knew I could do it, it was just, I never knew if I was going to get the opportunity, one, and I never knew if the timing was right,” Houston said.
“If the cards were going to play out for me. But things ended up being what they were and by the grace of God, he blessed me to be able to do what I did and I just got to continue to build upon that. He gave me these blessings, I need to fulfill it.”
