By CHRIS DUNCAN, AP HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was sold on Whitney Mercilus' one spectacular season at Illinois. The 6-foot-3, 261-pound Mercilus promises there are more where that came from.

HOUSTON — Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was sold on Whitney Mercilus' one spectacular season at Illinois. The 6-foot-3, 261-pound Mercilus promises there are more where that came from. Houston used the 26th pick in the first round ...

Whitney Mercilus, Illinois—43.5 (16 sacks, 19.5 knockdowns, eight hurries). Little known fact: a lot of his pass rush production came as an interior rusher. NFL Network's Mike Mayock calls Mercilus, “most gifted natural pass rushers in this draft.

Coincidentally, DE Whitney Mercilus felt his breakout game in college was at Reliant Stadium, when Illinois defeated Baylor in the 2010 Texas Bowl. "That's when I started to see that I had the potential to reach over the top," the newest Texan said.

They selected Illinois' Whitney Mercilus with the 26th pick overall in the NFL draft. But Mercilus, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said, is more of a Brooks Reed – except he's even further evolved that Reed was when the Texans chose the Arizona ...

(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File) HOUSTON (AP) — Looking for another pass rusher and more linebacker depth, the Houston Texans selected Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus with the 26th overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night. The 6-foot-3, ...

Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus wasn't taken until the Houston Texans selected him with the 26th pick. The 6-4, 265-pound Mercilus declared for the draft after his junior year, having started just one season for the Illini.

DE Whitney Mercilus on his thoughts about joining the league's second-ranked defense: "They play nasty .... I'm just looking forward to being a part of that system and contribute as much as I can."

The Texans project Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus as an OLB. The club succeeded last year in converting second-round pick Brooks Reed from a collegiate DE; Reed recorded six sacks in the regular season and added 3.5 in two playoff games.

Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus went to the Texans with the No. 26 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft, a pass-rush specialist selected to step in for another quarterback killer, Mario Williams, who left the team in the offseason.

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And Illinois' Whitney Mercilus was a popular choice. Here are the panlists' responses: Dan Pompei: “If the Bears are focused on a defensive end, they're fortunate. Because it's a strong group of defensive ends in the first round.