AFC Notes: C.J. Stroud, Travon Walker, Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

The Colts added first-round DE Laiatu Latu in the draft after a prolific collegiate career at UCLA. Latu detailed what he’s focused on through the offseason workouts and mentioned how helpful it is to go against great competition. 

“It’s really just knowing those counters off of my finesse moves,” Latu said, via Paul Bretl of the Colts Wire, “and really just knowing how to read blocks, how to work the techniques that I’ve been learning in the room and trying to apply it on the field in certain situations. That’s kind of where I’ve been at.”

“So I’ve just been in the flim room trying to watch how to beat certain tackles off of certain sets because everyone is talented out here. Everyone’s so good from the top down. It’s just a blessing that I get to go up against them every day.”

Jaguars

The Jaguars signed DE Arik Armstead in free agency to add veteran production at that position. Armstead thinks highly of new teammate DE Travon Walker and believes he can be one of the league’s premier pass rushers. 

“I think Travon can be the best edge in the league. He has that ability,” Armstead said, via Juston Lewis of the Florida Times-Union. “He had a tremendous year last year, and I know he’s gonna have a tremendous year this year.”

“I think the sky’s the limit for him, and like I said, I think he can be the best edge in the league. He has that mindset too and I think I think he will be.”

Texans

Texans QB C.J. Stroud had a rookie campaign for the record books as he led the team’s complete turnaround. Houston OC Bobby Slowik admitted how important year two is for his career and mentioned how he seamlessly returned to action without missing a beat.

“It is a really, really impactful year to me that really sets the trajectory for the rest of his career and I think a lot of that is that you get to hammer the fundamentals,” Slowik said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “Like last year, there was a lot going on. You have to hit fundamentals, you have to hit verbiage, you have to hit play calls, you have to hit productions, you have to hit all this stuff. You hit fundamentals to a degree but you can only do so much.”

“Now we really get to dive into the fundamentals of this is what we do and how we play and what makes him great, and really fit that and grow that within our offense. That really to me has been — just through Phase II [and] in OTA’s so far he is on board and all in. He is picking up right where he left off.”