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Whitney Mercilus and Jeff Allen know each other well.
The outside linebacker and offensive lineman locked horns against each other, sparingly, in a pair of games last season between the Texans and Chiefs. Allen signed with the Texans as a free agent on March 10, so he'll practice against Mercilus today in OTAs and in the future.
But that's not the root of their familiarity.
"He was my roommate in college," Allen said in a recent Texans Radio interview. "So we're really good
buddies."
Teammates at the University of Illinois, Allen was in Champaign from 2008 to 2011, while Mercilus arrived on campus in 2009.
The duo lived with each other for a stint in college.
Both were picked in the 2012 NFL Draft, as Mercilus was a first-rounder with the Texans, while Kansas City selected Allen in the second round.
After his former roommate tallied 12 sacks in 2015, Allen was happy for Mercilus' success.
"It's fun going out there and competing against him," Allen said. "Just seeing how far he's come, even since college. He's one of the hardest working guys and I'm just so happy and proud for him."
The duo and the Texans will practice late this morning and early this afternoon at the Houston Methodist Training Center. It's the first day of OTAs.
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
DL, Thomas Booker, #56
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
OL, A.J. Cann, #60
LB, Blake Cashman, #53
DL, Maliek Collins, #96
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
OL, Austin Deculus, #76
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #4
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #50
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
OL, Kenyon Green, #59.
DL, Rasheem Green, #92
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
FB, Troy Hairston, #34
LB, Jake Hansen, #49
DL, Demone Harris, #94
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
DL, Kurt Hinish, #93
TE, O.J. Howard, #83
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes, #55
WR, Tyler Johnson, #14
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
OL, Justin McCray, #64
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson, #21
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33
DL, Ogbo Okoronkwo, #45
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31
DB, Jalen Pitre, #5
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #44
DB, Tremon Smith, #1.
DB, M.J. Stewart, #29
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
LS, Jon Weeks #46
An image from the Aug 19, 2022 preseason week 2 game between the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.
