There's been a lot of rough comments thrown out around here regarding Brian Cushing. More than likely there is still disdain among many for the Cushing pick that took place on draft day. Part of it is the ponytail. Some of it is the alleged steroid use. And the main reasons fans question the pick are for his questionable coverage ability heading into training camp and the other players available at the time the pick was made. I still firmly believe it's just the hair. Regardless, players, coaches, and analysts alike all believe they have seen enough from Cushing already to believe the Texans will finally have solidified the strongside linebacker position come the regular season.
Paul Kuharsky is on board with the pick and believes he will be the "breakout player" of the AFC South division, over players such as Anthony Gonzalez of the Colts, new Titans receiver Nate Washington, and even our very own Amobi Okoye. Those are some pretty decent players Kuharsky passed on for Cushing, however, what's more important than what Kuharsky or any other analysts says is the opinion of the players and coaches. If what has been said about him is true, Cushing will shine.
This from DeMeco Ryans: "I haven't seen him in the pads yet, but I just feel like he's going to be that hard-nosed, tough, physical guy doing a lot of punishing out there. I'm looking forward to him bringing that aspect of the game. I think he has the natural ability to rush off the edge and I'm just eager to see him in game-time action and see how it goes."
Ok fine, so he hasn't quite said anything about his coverage ability yet. Patience, we're getting there (though admittedly, Cushing didn't handle those duties in OTAs or mini-camps... shh).
Eric Winston had a great interview with ESPN yesterday and in it he talked about Ponytail. Winston believes Cushing "can do it all", "go up against elite tight ends", and most importantly, "cover the flats".
So there you have it. Yes, this post really has no meaning since we haven't actually seen him participate in any coverage drills yet, but it's nice to see the players hopeful of Cushing before they've even donned pads. I'm trying to keep you entertained, damnit.