Texans' undrafted rookie British Brooks, who scored 2 TDs vs. NYG, was a literal hungry walk-on
The 24-year-old walked on to the UNC Tar Heels team, meaning he was not a scholarship recruit to the program.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- "Undrafted free agent" is a label attached to players in every NFL training camp.
Rookie Texans running back British Brooks recognizes that NFL teams didn't call him during the draft, but he got an opportunity in Houston to prove he belongs. He knew that he was a fit for the team's culture instantly.
"We're gonna get after it. We're getting to it," Brooks told ABC13's Greg Bailey.
Brooks quoted veteran teammate Cam Akers when he continued, "It ain't nothing but a little bit of work. Somebody's gonna do it, so why not us?"
The 24-year-old running back has worked for all of his football accomplishments in football. It started when two hamstring injuries led colleges to shy away during his recruitment out of Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Brooks thought he would walk on as a non-scholarship player at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte before deciding to compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
"My trainer was like, 'If you're going to walk on, go big,'" Brooks said.
Brooks battled at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill to get reps with the scout team. Once he earned that opportunity, coaches could see what he could do.
Under the previous coach, Brooks and other UNC walk-on players were often barred from eating meals with the rest of the players on the team.
That left Brooks hungry and determined to prove he belonged.
"There would be times dinner wasn't available for the walk-ons or lunch wasn't available," he remembered. "Just kind of walking around hungry."
Brooks showed everyone how far he's come since those tough, early days in college when he scored two touchdowns in Saturday's preseason win over the New York Giants.
Many teammates who recognized and appreciated his daily effort in a long, hot Houston training camp swarmed him to congratulate him.
Brooks said he doesn't need to be the center of attention, but the encouragement also felt really good.
"When everybody started swarming me and was happy for me, I was like, 'Alright,'" he said. "It's pretty cool."
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