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Now that the draft has come and gone, we are starting to enter the harsh, cruel desert that is the NFL offseason. Fortunately for Texans fans, however, today is one of our few bountiful oases – the start of rookie minicamp. Consider this your open thread for the first day of a new era. Welcome to Houston, rookies.
Note: This post will be updated throughout the day as new information comes in. See something interesting that isn’t in the post already? Put it in the comments and we’ll throw it up.
#Texans 3-day rookie minicamp starts today! Watch O'Brien's presser (exact time TBD) live following practice at http://t.co/Qt95prXUvM.
— Deepi Sidhu (@DeepSlant) May 16, 2014
#Texans draft pick numbers. Savage: 3, Hal: 38, Ballentine: 39, Blue: 44, Prosch: 45, Su'a-Filo: 70, Fiedorowicz: 87, Clowney: 90, Nix: 92.
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaro) May 16, 2014
Some observations while we wait for players to arrive: Rookies are set up with temporary lockers in the middle of #Texans locker room.
— Deepi Sidhu (@DeepSlant) May 16, 2014
No more names on individual lockers n #Texans locker room, just numbers. We are waiting to talk to rookies at rookie camp.
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaro) May 16, 2014
Open locker room today for rookie camp. Rookies don't get real lockers until they make the roster. Not even the first overall pick. #Texans
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) May 16, 2014
"He's a great coach, would've loved to play for him. I get to play for him now."- @tomsavage03 on possibly transferring to Penn St w/ OBrien
— AdamWexlerCSN (@awexler) May 16, 2014
Veteran lockers have numbers but no names. Also have "Always put the team first" inside each one. #Texans
— Deepi Sidhu (@DeepSlant) May 16, 2014
"Coach O'Brien knows what's he's doing. The meetings we've had have been intense," new #Texans TE CJ Fiedorowicz
— AdamWexlerCSN (@awexler) May 16, 2014
Also QB Tom Savage has to share a locker with another rookie right now. #Texans
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) May 16, 2014
Xavier Su'a-Filo has not been to Papadeaux or Whataburger yet. #importantnews
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) May 16, 2014
Texans NT Louis Nix III: "I'm nobody. I haven't made a tackle. At this point it's Louis Nix, the guy nobody knows.He's trying 2make a squad"
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) May 16, 2014
NT Louis Nix III:"We got these bad lockers(4rookies).Once I get on this wall (regular lockers), if I get a chance 2play it might be surreal"
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) May 16, 2014
[UPDATE - 1:16 PM] In other news, Ben Jones is still awesome.
I also got to the bottom of the Ben Jones tearing dreads off a player and handing them to Aaron Murray in the huddle story.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) May 16, 2014
Apparently the dreadlocked player in question had taken a late hit at Murray. So, naturally, Jones brought him a trophy.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) May 16, 2014
[UPDATE - 1:49 PM] Texans Rookies Trying to Fall In Line - Tania Ganguli
[UPDATE - 1:56 PM]
OLB Jadeveon Clowney on message to rookies from Texans coaching staff: "Keep your mouth shut & learn. We don't know what we think we know."
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) May 16, 2014
I suppose there's few better people to learn from in camp than J.J. Watt and Bill Kollar.
[UPDATE - 2:01 PM] Jadeveon Clowney's No. 1 Objective: Learn the Playbook - CSN Houston
Seeing Jadeveon Clowney move is a sight to see. He ran down Alfred Blue on a swing pass where Blue had a 5 yard head start. #Texans
— PDS (@PatDStat) May 16, 2014
[UPDATE- 3:30 PM] Check out a full gallery of pictures from the Rookie Camp from the Mothership.
O'Brien reiterated how much respect he has for Andre and what he has done in this city, Houston. #abc13 #Texans
— David Nuño (@DavidNunoABC13) May 16, 2014
#khou #texans New QB Tom Savage wears#3 jersey and O'Brien said that it was obvious he paid attention in meetings b4. pic.twitter.com/Y0FKirCtxG
— Matt Musil (@KHOUSportsMatt) May 16, 2014
[UPDATE - 3:50 PM] Check out video from the Rookie Camp courtesy of the Mothership.
Here's Bill O'Brien helping to coach running backs today at rookie camp. #Texans pic.twitter.com/lxmQPe7kbW
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaro) May 16, 2014
[UPDATE - 4:11 PM] Bill O'Brien: My talks with Andre Johnson 'very positive' - Marc Sessler of NFL.com