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With the 119th pick, in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft, the Houston Texans selected San Jose State Spartans running back Tyler Ervin. Ervin, listed at 5'10" and 192 pounds, was ranked as the 12th-best running back and 148th overall player in this year's draft, according to the draft analysts at CBS Sports. He was projected to go in the 4th or 5th round.
As mentioned in his draft profile, Tyler Ervin set records in his senior year at San Jose State. He rushed for 1,601 yards and 13 touchdowns, with an average of 5.45 yards per attempt. He also added 334 receiving yards and two eceiving touchdowns out of the backfield. While his career for the Spartans started out a little slow (he rushed for 205 yards his freshman year and only 2 yards his sophomore), Ervin exploded onto the scene his junior year by leading the team in rushing with 888 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Scouts are a bit turned off by his overall stature, as he lacks the prototypical size at running back you would want to see in the league. To go along with that, he doesn't offer too much power as a runner, either. However, he's a much tougher runner than what you might expect. He's also a very intelligent runner, as he doesn't take many unnecessary punishing hits. That last thing is key for someone his size and if he wants to last long in the league.
He becomes the latest addition in a 2016 haul that has emphasized the offensive side of the ball. To support new starting quarterback Brock Osweiler, the Texans have also selected wide receivers Will Fuller and Braxton Miller, as well as center Nick Martin. Given Arian Foster's health question, Ervin could potentially play a substantive role for a team with aspirations of a deep playoff run.
Congrats to Tyler and his family!