Selected by Houston in the fourth round (142nd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft and played four seasons (2017-20) with the Texans. Signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys on 3/22/21. Re-signed with the Cowboys on 3/24/22, agreeing to a one-year contract. Released by Dallas on 8/30/22 and signed to the team's practice squad on 8/31/22. Elevated to the active roster on 10/22/22. Signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals on 3/30/23.
2022: Appeared in 12 games (four starts) during the regular season and totaled 30 tackles, two tackles for loss, four QB hurries and a forced fumble … also started both postseason games and added two tackles, a QB hurry and a pass defensed … part of a Cowboys defense that tied for 5th in the NFL in scoring defense (20.1 ppg), 6th in TDs allowed (35), 3rd in rushing TDs allowed (9), and finished 7th in yards allowed per play (5.10 ypp) and 8th in pass defense (200.9 ypg) … signed from the practice squad to the active roster on 10/22 … made his season debut and had a QB pressure @ LAR (10/9) … tallied three tackles vs. Det (10/23) and four stops vs. Chi (10/30) … made his first start of the season @ Jax (12/18) and had three tackles and a QB pressure … in his second consecutive start logged two tackles and forced his first career fumble vs. Phi (12/24); tackled Miles Sanders for one-yard loss and forced a fumble at the PHI 24-yard line that was recovered by the Cowboys; DAL extended their lead on the ensuing possession with a FG in an eventual win … named a team captain in Week 17, had a season-high five tackles and a tackle for loss @ Ten (12/29) … recorded two tackles and a tackle for loss in the regular season finale @ Was (1/8/23) … made his second career postseason start and had a tackle and a pass defensed in the Wild Card victory @ TB (1/16/23) … started and finished with a tackle and a QB pressure in the Divisional matchup @ SF (1/22/23).
2021: Appeared in 15 games with a career-high 14 starts during the regular season … established career highs in tackles (32) and tackles for loss (4) while adding a sack, two QB hurries, a pass defensed and an INT he returned 29 yards for a TD in the regular season … also made his first-ever postseason start and had a pass defensed … part of a defense that led the NFL in total takeaways (34), INTs (26), return TDs (9) and INT return TDs (5) … missed two games (Weeks 3-4) due to a knee injury … started at DT in his Cowboys debut and had one tackle @ TB (9/9) … started @ LAC (9/19) and finished with three tackles … returned to action vs. NYG (10/10) and had three tackles and a QB hurry … had a season-high four tackles, a career-high three tackles for loss and his first sack as a member of the Cowboys vs. Den (11/7); sacked Teddy Bridgewater for a nine-yard loss on Denver's first offensive play from scrimmage … making his 25th career start while playing his 50th career game, had four tackles and a tackle for loss @ KC (11/21) … selected as a defensive captain on Thanksgiving Day vs. LV (11/25) … had two tackles and also hauled in his first career INT @ NO (12/2); picked off a Taysom Hill pass in the 4th quarter and returned it 29 yards for his first career TD … surpassed 100 tackles in his career with two stops vs. Was (12/26) … made his first career postseason start in the Wild Card matchup vs. SF (1/16/22) and had a pass defensed.
2020: Played in all 16 games for the first time in his career and made 11 starts, collecting 27 tackles, a career-high 2.0 sacks, three passes defensed, two QB hits, four tackles for loss and a fumble recovery for Houston … had two tackles, his first sack of the season and a tackle for loss @ Pit (9/27); took down Ben Roethlisberger for a nine-yard loss in the 3rd quarter … recorded a tackle and his first pass defensed of the season @ Jax (11/8) … finished with two tackles and a pass defensed @ Cle (11/15) … set season highs in tackles (4) and tackles for loss (2) @ Chi (12/13) … tied his season high with four tackles, added his second sack of the year and also recovered a fumble in the season finale vs. Ten (1/3/21); recovered a Derrick Henry fumble in the 3rd quarter, giving Houston the ball at the TEN 28-yard line; Texans scored a TD two plays later to cut Titans lead to 31-28; sacked Ryan Tannehill for a one-yard loss on the Titans ensuing possession.
2019: Played in 10 games (one start) and totaled 23 tackles, 1.0 sack, two QB hurries, a pass defensed and a fumble recovery in the regular season … also made his postseason debut … saw action in the season-opener and finished with two tackles and a pass defensed @ NO (9/9) … recovered his first career fumble vs. Car (9/29), picking up a fumble by Kyle Allen in the 2nd quarter … posted his second career sack – and first of the season, while adding two tackles, a QB hit and a pass defensed @ Jax (11/3); took down Gardner Minshew for a three-yard loss in the 3rd quarter … had four tackles in back-to-back victories vs. Ind (11/21) and @ Ten (12/15) … made his first start of the season in the regular season finale vs. Ten (12/29) and recorded a season-high six tackles … made his postseason debut in the Wild Card matchup vs. Buf (1/4/20).
2018: Played in four games and logged three tackles, a sack and a QB hurry … all of his stats came in the regular season finale vs. Jax (12/30), including recording his first career sack when he took down Blake Bortles for a two-yard loss in the 4th quarter.
2017: Played in 12 games with six starts as a rookie and finished the season with 21 tackles, three tackles for losses and a pass defensed … made his NFL debut and logged his first career tackle vs. Ten (10/1) … made his first career start at DE vs. Ind (11/5) and totaled three tackles and a tackle for loss … made his second consecutive start and had two tackles, a tackle for loss and his first career pass defensed @ LAR (11/12) … had a season-high five tackles in the season finale @ Ind (12/31).
In five seasons (2012-16) at Clemson tallied 191 tackles, 26 tackles for losses and 14.0 sacks in 53 games (30 starts) … an All-American and two-time All-ACC selection, was named a permanent team captain … as a senior in 2016, earned first-team All-American honors from CBS Sports, second-team All-American from the Associated Press and first-team All-ACC honors from both the media and coaches … shared the Tiger Pride Defensive Team MVP honors … started all 15 games and had 82 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 13 QB pressures and four passes defensed … his 10.5 sacks marked the highest total in school history by a defensive tackle, breaking the mark of 10.0 held by Jim Stuckey, William Perry and Michael Dean Perry … as a junior in 2015, earned first-team All-SEC honors from the media and second-team honors from the coaches after recording 69 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, eight QB pressures and an INT (returned 15 yards for his first career TD) in 15 games played (14 starts) … as a redshirt sophomore in 2014, had 13 tackles, two tackles for losses, and four QB pressures in 11 games … as a sophomore in 2013, had 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a QB pressure in three games before receiving a redshirt following a car accident that ended his season … as a freshman in 2012, notched 16 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and three QB pressures in nine games.
Ranked as the #8 defensive lineman in the nation out of Chase (Forest City, NC) High School by Rivals.com where he logged 15.0 sacks, five forced fumbles and an INT as a senior … had 50 tackles, 29 tackles for loss and 14.0 sacks as a junior … played in the U.S. Army All-American game and the Shrine Bowl … in addition to starring on the football field, averaged over 21 points and 10 rebounds per game for Chase's basketball team … earned a bachelor's degree in Sociology.
