After signing autographs for fans lining the practice field Tuesday, Andre Hal dripped with sweat under a searing sun.

It was 30 minutes after the Texans' third practice, and Hal, always gracious and cooperative no matter what the conditions, was surprised to hear a statistic from last season.

The Texans were 8-3 with Hal in the starting secondary, including 7-2 at free safety.

"Wow, I didn't know that," he said. "I put in a lot of hard work. I spent a lot of time studying film."

And it's paid off.

Critical to surge

In his third season, Hal, - a seventh-round cornerback from Vanderbilt in 2014 - is entrenched in a secondary that helped the Texans close with a 7-2 record and finish 9-7 to earn the AFC South title.

This is Hal's third season in defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel's system. He knows what secondary coach John Butler demands from his defensive backs.

"Dre had a good year," coach Bill O'Brien said about last season. "He's a smart guy. He's very coachable. He's become somewhat of a leader in his own right. He does a lot on special teams, too."

When the Texans selected Hal, undersized at 5-10 and 188 pounds, they saw potential. He's made them look wise for taking him.

"We knew we had a smart, physical player," general manager Rick Smith said. "He had played against tough competition in college, and he was a confident player. I liked his makeup.

"We thought he might be able to provide some versatility. He's got ball skills. He's a ballhawk. He's around the ball."

Hal led the team with four interceptions last season, returning one for a touchdown. No one else had more than two. If he's starting 16 games rather than 11, he might be able to produce more big plays.

Pick artist

"I'm hopeful that we'll see a guy who's settled into the position and takes the next step," Smith said. "As much as he's around the ball, hopefully, we'll see a little more production on the ball as he continues to grow into the position."

Hal, 24, won't predict how many interceptions he hopes to get this season.

"I don't know about statistics, but I do know about wanting to win games," he said. "I'm comfortable with what we're doing, but I'm still learning and trying to gain experience and knowledge about the game."

Hal has always had a knack for finding the ball.

"In college, they put me in position to make plays, and I made them," he said. "I really pride myself on how I prepare. I study a lot of film. It's instincts, too. In my preparations, I might know something's going to happen from watching so much film that my body just reacts when I see something."

Crennel's defense can be complicated. It's a grind to figure it out, but once the players do, they understand how efficient they can be.

"It's not freelancing, but our defense is based on knowing where to go and then getting where you're supposed to be," he said.

Hal is smart enough to listen to his counterpart, strong safety Quintin Demps, who's coming off his best season.

"Quintin's played nine years, and I learn a lot from him," Hal said. "I try to eat up everything he tells me and get better every day."