HOUSTON — The Houston Texans concluded the 2024 NFL Draft with seven out of nine prospects coming on the defensive side of the ball. However, that did not prevent general manager Nick Caserio and coach DeMeco Ryans from adding to their defense when it came to signing players who went undrafted.

The Texans signed defensive tackle Pheldarius Payne from Virginia Tech. Although he did not hear his name called during the draft, the Texans may have struck gold with his signing. According to CBS Sports, Payne ranked near the top of their undrafted free agent list.

“You can’t miss Payne the second you flip on the film for two reasons — he’s one of the smaller defensive tackles and he’s athletically charged up like an oversized linebacker.

“The defensive tackle spot is probably one of the weaker positions on the team, and GM Nick Caserio did not pick one in the draft. Don’t be stunned when Payne makes a name for himself early in camp and in the preseason, which should lead to some reps with the first-team defense.” — per Chris Trapasso.

Payne is joining the Texans after a successful one-year stint at Virginia Tech. He recorded 31 tackles and 4.0 sacks. He began his career at Nebraska, where he played two seasons.