Antonio Smith has said that teammate Brian Cushing has been impressing during activities with the Houston Texans this off-season.

The linebacker missed the majority of the 2012 NFL season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but has been taking part in the side's off-season program.

The defensive end told the team's website: "Brian Cushing's gonna come back and be.... he was already 'Super Cush', I can't call him 'Mega Cush' because of [teammate] JJ [Watt]. 'Ultimate Cush.' Like the Ultimate Warrior.

"Have you been seeing him over there working out? I've never seen him move like that before, all trimmed and cut up. Looks like a julienne salad. In my book, I told everybody when I first got here and got to see him, he's gonna be one of the great ones.

"He's gonna be one of them Hall of Fame linebackers if he stays healthy. Offensive linemen throughout the league fear him. Running backs surely fear him. He's just one of those players that's relentless, and he hits with bad intentions."

Cushing, who made 30 tackles in five games prior to his injury last season, is expected to be fully fit in time for the start of the 2013 campaign.