HOUSTON – Following a draft headlined by first-round selections C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., the Texans signed multiple undrafted free agents.
That includes Arizona State running back Xazavian Valladay to a deal that includes $175,000 guaranteed with a $30,000 signing bonus and $145,000 of his base salary guaranteed, according to a league source. Valladay (6-foot, 201 pounds rushed for 1,192 yards and a Pac-12 Conference high 16 touchdowns last season with 289 receiving yards and two scores. A transfer from Wyoming, he rushed for 3,281 yards and 19 touchdowns before transferring to play for the Sun Devils.
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The Texans also signed former Pitt wide receiver Jared Wayne to a deal that includes $210,000 guaranteed with a $10,000 signing bonus and $200,000 of the Canada native’s Paragraph 5 base salary guaranteed, per a source. Wayne (6-foot-3, 210 pounds, 42-inch vertical) caught 60 passes for 1,062 yards and five touchdowns last season.
LSU defensive end Ali Gaye (6-foot-6, 263 pounds) joined the Texans on a deal that includes $80,000 guaranteed with a $70,000 base salary guarantee and a $10,000 signing bonus, per a source. Gaye had 36 tackles, six for losses, 2 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles last seasoan. He had 9 1/2 tackles for losses and one interception in 2020. Gaye was ejected last September from the Florida State game for targeting for a hit on quarterback Jordan Travis.
San Diego State wide receiver Jesse Matthews, a two-time bowl game Most Valuable Player and a former walk-on who earned a scholarship, joined the Texans on an undrafted deal, per a league source. Matthews has 4.52 speed in the 40-yard dash and caught 174 career passes for 2,109 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Memphis punter Joe Doyle signed with the Texans, per a source. Doyle is a Tennessee transfer who had a 45.9 average, seven touchbacks, 23 fair catches, 17 punts downed inside the 20-yard line and 17 punts of 50 yards or more. He was named all-conference.
Western Michigan center-guard Dylan Deatherage signed with the Texans on a deal that includes $80,000 guaranteed with a $10,000 signing bonus and $70,000 of his base salary guaranteed, per a league source.
The Texans agreed to terms with Duke safety Darius Joiner (6-foot-2, 200 pounds), per a source. Joiner had 97 tackles, two interceptions, four sacks, eight tackles for losses and two forced fumbles last season. He previously played for Western Illinois and Jacksonville State.
The Texans signed former Wisconsin offensive lineman Tyler Beach (6-foot-6, 304 pounds, 5.2 40-yard dash, 21 bench reps, 31-inch vertical leap), per a league source. Beach was a third-team All-Big Ten Conference selection., starting six games at left guard and three at tight end and allowed one sack.
Auburn offensive tackle Kilian Zierer joined the Texans on an undrafted deal, per a source.
The left tackle is a former soccer player with long arms at 83 5/8 wingspan at 6-foot-7 2/8, 304 pounds.
A native of Munich, Germany, he started every game last season after transferring from the College of the Canyons three years ago.
The Texans invited former Nebraska long snapper Brady Weas to their rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
