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.