Houston ? Gary Kubiak had gotten used to the Texans’ penchant for tapping on the tables in the meeting room when they approved of or respected what he was saying.

But even he was blown away by their reaction when he talked recently about rookie linebacker DeMeco Ryans.

“They banged on the tables as hard as I’ve heard them bang since I’ve been here,” he said. “So I think that day our team let us know what they think of that kid, and I think he’s a leader, if not the leader on this team.”

And on Wednesday, those outside of the organization showed their respect for Ryans when he was voted the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year, making him the first Texan to win the honor.

Ryans, the first pick in the second round, easily outshined top overall pick Mario Williams by leading the league in solo tackles with 126. His 156 total tackles were the most by a rookie in the last 20 years, and he also had 31â2 sacks.

He received 36 of the 50 votes by a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Second was Chicago end Mark Anderson, who was Ryans’ teammate at Alabama, with five votes. Green Bay linebacker A.J. Hawk was next with four, while Cleveland LB Kamerion Wimbley got two votes.

At 6-foot-1 and 239 pounds, Ryans was criticized for being too small in the weeks leading up to the draft, but quickly excelled with the Texans, making 13 tackles in his first game.

Ryans said winning the award is the best moment in his football career.