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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. (Updated 8/2/2021)
TE, Jordan Akins, #88
DL, Auzoyah Alufohai, #98
DB, Cornell Armstrong, #3
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
OL, Justin Britt, #68
DB, Terrence Brooks, #29
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
OL, Marcus Cannon, #61
DB, Shyheim Carter, #38
OL, Geron Christian Sr., #72
DL, Maliek Collins, #97
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #17
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Isaiah Coulter, #82
WR, Keke Coutee, #16
DB, Keion Crossen, #35
LB, Zach Cunningham, #41
LB, Tae Davis, #55
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Brandon Dunn, #92
WR, Alex Erickson, #14
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
LS, Mitchell Fraboni, #49
OL, Hjalte Froholdt, #77
OL, Carson Green, #62
LB, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
DB, Vernon Hargreaves III, #26
WR, Damon Hazelton, #86
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
RB, Dontrell Hilliard, #22
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
RB, Buddy Howell, #8
RB, Mark Ingram, #2
OL, Danny Isidora, #73
TE, Ryan Izzo, #81
DL, Jordan Jenkins, #50
RB, David Johnson, #31
DL, Jaleel Johnson, #91
DB, Lonnie Johnson Jr., #1
OL, Roderick Johnson, #63
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Shaq Lawson, #93
RB, Phillip Lindsay, #30
DL, Roy Lopez, #79
DL, Jacob Martin, #54
OL, Ryan McCollum, #75
OL, Justin McCray, #64
DL, Whitney Mercilus, #59
WR, Anthony Miller, #18
QB, Davis Mills, #10
DB, Terrance Mitchell, #39
DB, A.J. Moore Jr., #33
WR, Chris Moore, #15
DB, Eric Murray, #23
LB, Hardy Nickerson, #56
DL, Charles Omenihu, #94
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Scottie Phillips, #27
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
TE, Paul Quessenberry, #45
DB, John Reid, #34
DB, Justin Reid, #20
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
WR, Andre Roberts, #19
DB, Bradley Roby, #21
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Tremon Smith, #24
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
OL, Lane Taylor, #65
WR, Taywan Taylor, #37
QB, Tyrod Taylor, #5
DL, Vincent Taylor, #96
LB, Joe Thomas, #48
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #42
OL, Cole Toner, #66
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
DL, DeMarcus Walker, #44
WR, Jordan Veasy, #84
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
TE, Kahale Warring, #87
QB, Deshaun Watson, #4
LS, Jon Weeks #46
