'Bat Out of Hell!' Blake Cashman Earns 'Secret Superstar' Status in 2023

Originally posted on FanNation Texans Daily
By John Macon Gillespie | Last updated 1/27/24

The Houston Texans had a plethora of noteworthy pieces in their exceptional 2023 season, but not all players end up with the recognition they deserve.

Enter Pro Football Focus. The publication recently highlighted one "secret superstar" from all 32 NFL teams this season, and they gave the nod to a key playmaker on defense for the Texans in the form of linebacker Blake Cashman, even referring to him as "a bat out of hell."

You can read an excerpt from the piece below.

He’s an ever-present being at the second level and racked up 106 tackles and nine tackles for loss this season as the Texans' defense looked to establish itself as a much-improved unit. The sky is the ceiling for this defense, and Cashman is a big reason why.

PFF gave Cashman a 83.7 PFF grade in 2023, the fifth-highest among all linebackers in the league.

A native of Minnesota who suited up for his home state's Golden Gophers in college, Cashman was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In March of 2022, he was traded to Houston for a sixth-round pick, and he has now settled in nicely to DeMeco Ryans' defense.

He missed one game this season due to a hamstring injury, but he returned in Week 16, just in time for the Texans' playoff run.

This article first appeared on FanNation Texans Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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