NoteCARDS:
- The Cardinals third-round pick (69th overall) in the 2011 NFL Draft, appeared in 12 games (two starts) during his rookie season for the Cards, catching 12 passes for 133 yards and recording two special teams tackles. Missed four games due to a groin injury.
- Played collegiately at Florida Atlantic University and became just the second player ever selected out of the school, joining QB Rusty Smith, the Titans 2010 sixth-round pick (176th overall).
- At the 2011 NFL Combine, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds, the fastest time among any TE at the event.
- Both Housler and QB John Skelton were born on the same day (March 17, 1988) in the same town (El Paso, TX).
Pro Career:
Selected by the Cardinals in the third-round (69th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft and became the highest drafted TE for the Cards since the team selected USC’s Johnny McWilliams with the 64th selection in the third-round in 1996.
2011: Played in 12 games with two starts, and had 12 receptions for 133 yards with two special teams tackles in his rookie season … missed four games due to a groin injury … made his NFL debut vs. Car (9/11) … collected his first career reception, a 16-yarder in the second quarter vs. NYG (10/2); also had first career special teams tackle … with TE Todd Heap out with a hamstring injury, made his first career start and had a career-high three receptions for 25 yards @ Min (10/9) … recorded two receptions for 28 yards, including a 20-yard catch on the Cardinals second-quarter TD drive vs. Pit (10/23) … started at TE and had one reception for three yards @ Bal (10/30) … inactive due to a groin injury in the next four games … returned from injury and had two receptions for 23 yards vs. Dal (12/4) … saw action at TE and on special teams vs. Cle (12/18) … caught one pass for 11 yards and had one special teams tackle @ Cin (12/24) … had two receptions for 27 yards, including a career-long 21-yard catch in the second quarter in the season finale vs. Sea (1/1).
College:
Appeared in 49 games (18 starts) for the Owls and caught 78 passes for 1,228 yards and eight TDs … added 108 yards and a TD on five carries … on special teams, recorded 14 tackles, recovered a fumble and returned a kickoff eight yards … became the fourth TE in school history to record over 1,000 career receiving yards … as a senior in ’10, returned to the field following a redshirt season in ’09 and started all 12 games for FAU, earning second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors … took the voluntary redshirt season to allow two other senior TEs the chance to play … established career-highs with 39 receptions for 629 yards and four TDs and added one rushing attempt for 29 yards and four special teams tackles … had two of the best games of his career against the Owls biggest opponents, totaling four receptions for 94 yards and a TD vs. Michigan State and two receptions for 64 yards and two TDs at Texas … during a voluntary redshirt season in ‘09, worked as a scout team QB, RB, WR and TE to help simulate the spread offense … as a junior in ’08, appeared in all 13 games (two starts) and totaled 32 receptions for 519 yards (16.2 yard avg.) and four TDs … added two special teams tackles … his 71-yard TD reception against Michigan State tied Larry Taylor (2001) for the fifth-longest catch in school history … appeared in 13 games as a sophomore in ’07, totaling five receptions for 64 yards (12.8 yard avg.) and gained 83 yards and a TD on three rushing attempts (27.7 yard avg.) … added two special teams tackles … posted a 68-yard TD run vs. Florida International, the longest run from scrimmage in FAU history at the time and which currently ranks as the third-longest run in school history … one of five true freshmen to letter in 2006, appearing in 11 games (four starts) … recorded two catches for 16 yards and added six tackles and a fumble recovery on special teams.
Personal:
Attended Judson (Converse, TX) High School and played WR, averaging 16.5 yards per reception with eight TDs as a senior in 2004 … also excelled in track and field, competing in the long jump (22’0”) and the pole vault (15’8”) … father, Robert, played college football at UTEP … Accounting major at FAU.
