Card: Upper Deck Star Rookies 2008
Acquired: TTM 2010, Texans Blitz

Big Frank Okam was a dominating force in college playing for the University of Texas. Okam would contribute all four years of college and garner regular looks from pro scouts, was named to the Big Twelve squads on multiple occasions and helped the team make win the national championship in 2005. At 6’5, 350 Okam was considered a two space gap stuffer at the pro level who could play not only defensive tackle but kick inside and play nose tackle, but injuries in his final season and questions about Frank’s heart and desire to play football caused his stock to drop. The Texans would draft Frank in the 5th round of the 2008 draft, and he would suit up for 5 games making 2 tackles. In 2009 he’d suit up for 3 games but never see playing time, with injuries taking their toll on the young player, so in  2010 with the writing on the wall after 5 games and only a tackle under his belt, he would be cut by the Texans in October. He’d sign with the Seahawks- cut again- and then found himself on the roster of the Buccaneers for the final 3 games, where things are looking up for Frank as he made 10 tackles to close out the season.

I was pretty jazzed about this pick by the Texans and thought to myself that the ‘desire’ issue was just a bunch of hooey. Sometimes watching him during the preseason, he’d show flashes of brilliance completely controlling the line and then in others get completely blown off the line. Quite the enigma. I hope that with the complete defensive philosophy change, Okam over the next few years can turn into that space eater I remembered from the University of Texas.