Eric Winston's Bio

TRANSACTIONS
Selected by Houston Texans in third round (66th overall) of 2006 NFL draft…Signed by Texans on July 23, 2006.

PRO CAREER
Athletic and versatile young lineman who stepped into the starting lineup at right tackle as a rookie…started the final seven games of the 2006 season at RT after opening-day starter Zach Wiegert went down with a knee injury…has the speed and athleticism to play tackle as well as the power to play guard if needed…saw action in 12 games and started seven as a rookie…was the second of two consecutive third-round picks in the 2006 draft…selected 66th overall, one spot behind fellow offensive lineman Charles Spencer.
2007 Started at right tackle in the first five games...helped the Texans gain 109 rushing yards in the season opener against Kansas City (9/9)...part of a line that did not allow a sack and cleared the way for the Texans' 119 rushing yards at Carolina (9/16)...started against Indianapolis (9/23) and at Atlanta (9/30)...helped the Texans gain 352 total yards of offense against Miami (10/7).
2006 Played in 12 games as a rookie and started the final seven contests at right tackle…played a key part in a rushing attack that improved dramatically over the second half of the season and produced more than 100 yards on the ground in five of the last seven games…made his professional debut as a reserve lineman at Dallas (10/15)…saw action in a reserve role in the next four games…came on in relief of an injured Zach Wiegert at Jacksonville (11/12) and was praised for making the key block on RB Samkon Gado’s game-clinching one-yard run on fourth-and-one late in the fourth quarter…made first career start at RT against Buffalo (11/19) and helped the team rush for 188 yards, the third-best total in franchise history…started at RT at the New York Jets (11/26) and helped the team rack up 334 total yards…started at RT at Oakland (12/3) and opened holes for RB Ron Dayne to run for 95 yards in the victory…started at RT against Tennessee (12/10) and at New England (12/17)…started at RT against Indianapolis (12/24) and helped pave the way for the team to rush for a season-high 191 yards, the second-best total in Texans history, and for Dayne to rush for a career-high 153 yards…started at RT against Cleveland (12/31) and helped rookie RB Chris Taylor rush for 99 yards and a touchdown in the season-ending victory.

COLLEGE
A very highly rated tackle out of Miami…began his Miami career as a tight end…injury during junior season limited play…helped lead a highly ranked offense in his three full seasons…All-American first-team selection by Walter Camp, American Football Coaches Association and Sports Illustrated as a senior in 2005, adding second-team honors from the Associated Press…All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team pick and recipient of the Jacobs Trophy, given to the ACC’s top offensive lineman (as voted by the league’s coaches)…started every game at left offensive tackle and also lined up at tight end in several formations…started the first four games of the season in 2004, but suffered a torn ACL in his left knee at Georgia Tech and was lost for the remainder of the season... finished second on the team with 46 key blocks in 2003, including 18 pancakes...named offensive MVP after games against West Virginia and Rutgers...recorded at least two knockdowns in nine games…as a freshman, played in every game as a reserve tight end and provided blocking power in multiple tight end situations...caught two passes for 13 yards...had a six-yard reception vs. Temple and a seven-yard catch vs. Florida A&M…international finance and marketing major.