2024 NFL Draft interview: Ohio LB Bryce Houston

WCG’s lead draft analyst speaks with Ohio’s star linebacker prospect.

As a three-time captain during his time in college, Ohio linebacker Bryce Houston knows what it takes to be a leader.

It’s important to contribute on the field, and Houston did exactly that. In his last three seasons with the Bobcats, he tallied 300 total tackles, 30 tackles for a loss, 9 sacks and 3 interceptions. However, the MIKE linebacker also served as a key communicator at the second level, utilizing his football IQ to help strengthen his teammates on the defensive side of the ball. He hopes to bring that same level of production and leadership to the NFL level.

Windy City Gridiron spoke with Houston about his collegiate career, his preparation for the 2024 NFL Draft, his wrestling background, and more.

JI: You accomplished a lot at Ohio. What would you say is your favorite memory from your time there?

BH: Honestly, a lot of things come to mind, as far as beating Iowa State last year, getting multiple bowl wins, and all that stuff. For me, personally, I would say it goes back to the 2020 COVID year. I was fighting, getting in position battles, trying to get an opportunity to get on the field, go and do my thing on special teams, making impacts anywhere I can. I had my first opportunity to start; it was [against] Bowling Green in 2020. It was during the COVID time. My teammate, we came in together, and we played together — he actually was a starter over me in the beginning of the process — it was a humbling moment. I knew that I was extremely talented, and I knew I was just as talented as my colleague, my roommate, my best friend, but the coaches didn’t exactly see that. I just waited my time, did the best I could. I had an opportunity to start due to injury that Bowling Green game, and I never looked back. I led the team in tackles that game, and then that was the game I separated myself in showing basically the world, my coaches at Ohio University that Bryce Houston is going to be one of the best linebackers that came out of here. That was my personal favorite moment here, just be able to prove myself and be able to fight through adversity to be able to come out on top at the end of the day, and I never really looked back from there. From there, at that point on, I started every game and continued to lead the stat boards in tackling, interceptions, sacks, and all different types of things, as well as being a captain that fall. It was kind of a transcending moment for my career.

JI: You mention being a captain, and you held that honor three times. What did you learn about your time in that role?

BH: Leadership comes in all different types of ways or different forms. You also need to understand, you’re dealing with all different types of people. A leadership role, it’s adjustable; it doesn’t have one specific mold. At the same time, they have certain characteristics that are very similar: accountability, integrity, discipline. Those three characteristics — along with multiple others — are things that don’t really change. Some other things may change as far as the way you communicate, and I wasn’t exactly the biggest [talker]. I grew up to talk a little bit more as I got older, but I didn’t exactly say much, but when I did say something, it mattered. That’s how I took my approach to leadership.

JI: You were a star wrestler in high school. How does that background help you today?

BH: First, of course, tackling leverage, really understanding how to make tackles. All that comes from wrestling, as well as just the hard work ethic. In wrestling, I would always say I think it’s one of the greatest sports on Earth, along with football. I would say it teaches you a lot of things as far as, a lot of people want instant gratification. I was a star in wrestling in high school, but in my middle school times, I never won a match. I had to continue to fight to continue to keep practicing and keep going to practice. Even though it was extremely hard, and I really didn’t see a benefit out of it, I just kept coming back. That’s what pushed me to continue to push through in football. I was working hard, I was trying to make my plays and trying to prove myself, but I didn’t exactly see the benefits of what I was doing. I knew that your work, what you do behind closed doors, what you do in the dark, will show eventually. That was the mentality I took: always do your extra reps, do all that stuff behind the scenes, because eventually people will see. That’s how I’d say…it’s kind of a mentality thing, as well as tackling leverage, making sure you understand all the different types of things like that. I would say it’s a lot of moving pieces.

JI: I want to break down your pre-snap approach. It’ll depend on the play, but generally what goes through your mind, and what are the first actions you’re looking to take after the snap?

BH: It all starts with the offensive line, I would say. The offensive line always tells you what they’re going to be doing as far as run-pass keys. If they’re heavy on their knuckles, if there’s a little setback, they’re sitting back on their heels a little bit, that tells you a little bit, as well. Then, I look at the formation. It also goes back into my film study. I study a lot of film. I like to practice; I like to prep myself as much as I can in order to be as successful as possible. Going into the formation, understanding different plays out of certain formations, understanding certain tendencies, look at the down in distance, understand whether they’d like to do on 1st-and-10 or a 2nd-and-short vs. 2nd-and-long…if it’s 3rd-and-medium, what they like to do in some type of quick pass, as far as slants or comebacks, or curls, something like that. You got to understand that. Then, also letting sure the people around me are just as tuned in and just as locked in as myself. It’s a team game, at the end of the day. You can make your individual stats, make your plays, but we’re all one big unit; make sure everyone’s on the same page, and make sure that they know that, as well. I know there’s a long-winded answer to answer your question, but I goes to the offensive line formation, backfield set, and then looking at the quarterback: where’s he looking? The running back: where he’s looking? When the ball snaps, I just look at my reads and the offensive guard window to the tailback. If it’s run, I know my gap. I know where I’m supposed to be, if it’s past where I know I’m supposed to be. I know the formation, so I’m expecting a wide receiver to be getting into this zone or something like that. I try to prep myself as much as I can on film.

JI: How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?

BH: I do a lot of things as far as how to get out in the community, to be a part of other people’s lives. I like to read to the students; there’s a middle school here, and I like to read to them. I like to go down there probably once, twice a week, read to the students. There’s also a food pantry — Athens is a predominantly food insecure, pretty poor area — so I try like to do anything I can to be able to impact the community such as go to the food bank, go to canned food drives, give some food. I went and gave some turkeys away for Thanksgiving, as well as [reading to] the middle schoolers and things like that, as well as just hanging out with friends and talking ball. I’m finishing out my MBA right now, so I like to stay as busy as I can.

JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?

BH: You’re gonna get a leader. You’re gonna get a hell of a ballplayer. You’re gonna get a great teammate. You’re gonna get a student of the game. You’re gonna get someone who comes in every day, first one to clock in, last one one the clock out, an accountable young man that you can depend on to be do exactly what you asked him to do the best of his ability to do it. That’s really all you can really ask for. To be honest, I’m gonna do exactly what you say. I’m gonna do it to the best of my ability. I’m gonna lead the ones around me. I’m gonna be a role model, as well as just being a sponge. I love to learn, I love to continue to learn and elevate my game, ask questions, do everything I can in my power in order to be as successful as possible. I will wait my time. I’ll take my I’ll take my lumps. I’ll learn, I’ll stand behind people, even if I don’t believe I should. I’ll do what exactly I can do to help the team succeed, and that’s how I’m built.

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