HOUSTON – The Texans released veteran cornerback Ka’dar Hollman.
Hollman, a former Green Bay Packers sixth-round draft pick, started one game last season against the Atlanta Falcons and held up solidly.
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He was targeted four times, allowing two catches for 19 yards and an opposing passer rating of 63.5. At 6-foot, 196 pounds, Hollman is big enough and fast enough with the coverage technique to shadow wide receivers.
“Man, just props to Ka’dar,” Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said at the time. “He didn’t find out he was playing until two hours before kickoff, and Shaq was legitimately a game time decision. We worked him out and just didn’t feel like he could go the way we wanted him to, and Ka’dar, literally at about 10 a.m. or 11 a.m., found out, and he battled and did a really good job. We’re really proud of him, and it was really exciting to see.
“A great testament to a guy being ready, preparing through the week. You never know when your number is going to be called. I mean, his ticket got punched two hours before kickoff, and he stepped up and didn’t blink, so I was happy for that, man. It was cool.”
Hollman, 29, has had a journeyman career in the NFL. This was his seventh team he’s played for, including the Packers, Texans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Falcons and Miami Dolphins.
Although he has played in 35 career games with 20 tackles and three passes defensed, Hollman has rarely gotten to play on defense. He has primarily operated on special teams, so starting was significant for him.
“It definitely meant a lot to me because I felt like from my first start in Green Bay, I feel like I came a long way from there to now,” Hollman said. “My preparation and my skill set and seeing things differently, knowing what’s coming and my technique. I feel like I was prepared.”
Growing up in Trenton, New Jersey, Hollman attended Burlington Township High School. His recruiting experience was affected by his SAT score. So, he enrolled at Milford Academy in New York for a post-graduate year to improve his academics before walking on at Toledo. Among Milford Academy’s other NFL alums: LeSean McCoy, Christian Peter, Jason Peter, Terrance Knighton and Tyler Matakevich.
When he enrolled at Toledo, Hollman found a believer in Cory Robinson, now a corners coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars who has coached corners for the New Orleans Saints along with stints at the University of Maryland, Temple and Rutgers.
“I was the corners coach at Toledo in 2016 and Ka’dar was a sophomore and he was a walk-on,” Robinson said. “He was a guy who was definitely not in the mix to be a starter at first, but he did some things that were impressive. He was consistent. He can run. He’s athletic. He’s physical. He was a blank canvas and a guy who was so impressionable and trying really hard.
“Ultimately, his athleticism and his speed, he allowed himself to develop. It paid off. He starter for us. He had a really good year. He was so reliable and he earned a scholarship.”
Hollman wound up playing in 40 games at Toledo, recording 113 tackles and two interceptions. He was nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy given the best player in the nation who started his career as a walk-on.
Robinson went on to coach Hollman, his college protege with the Saints. He was on their practice squad, but he didn’t stick for long before joining the Giants.
“I was fighting for him in New Orleans and it was a numbers game,” Robinson said. “It was tough to see him not get a fair shake, but it was fun reuniting with him. What he’s doing now, it doesn’t surprise me. Anyone can do it at a moment’s notice. He has extreme confidence and he doesn’t overthink the moment. He’s been a journeyman, but he has never wavered in his confidence and resilience. He’s always been an underdog.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
