Kamari Lassiter wasn't the only rookie who stood out during the Houston Texans' mandatory minicamp. Calen Bullock made plays on several occasions during OTAs and minicamp. Bullock has spent the bulk of his time receiving snaps with the presumed second team, and his production led to coach DeMeco Ryans being impressed with the former UCLA defensive back.
"He’s done a really nice job of the communication piece — we ask a lot of our safeties and communicating in our defense," Ryans said. "He’s picked that up as he’s been here the past couple weeks. I know he’ll continue to improve upon his communication skills."
During Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft, the Texans sent a trade package to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for the No. 78 overall pick used to select Bullock.
Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio became fond of Bullock due to his versatility, but more importantly, his defensive ball skills. During Bullock's final season at USC, he registered a coverage grade of 82.2 — per Pro Football Focus.
At the end of last season, Ryans expressed a desire to improve the Texans' ability to create more takeaways. In 2023, they produced 14 turnovers. However, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and Steven Nelson accounted for nine.
The rookie defensive back recorded nine interceptions during his three-year tenure as USC's starting safety. He entered the draft as one of the best defensive ballhawks, adding 15 pass deflections across 38 collegiate games.
Bullock has consistently showcased his talents at the Houston Methodist Training Center, which could lead to vital snaps during the 2024 season.
"[Bullock is] a guy who can roam the backend and go make plays, like he’s shown that. The range that he has, he’s made a couple nice plays out there for us. We see the coverage ability — it’s just him continuing to improve upon his communication."
