TRANSACTIONS: Selected by the Houston Texans with the 25th pick in the second round (57th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
2019 (Houston 16/16, 2/2):
Started in all 16 regular season games and both postseason contests and established single-season career highs in almost every statistical category
Finished the season with 137 total tackles (95 solo), seven tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three quarterback hits, two passes defensed and two fumble recoveries, while tallying five tackles on special teamsÂ
His 137 tackles led the AFC and ranked seventh in the NFL
Was the only player in the NFL in 2019 to record over 100 tackles on defense and at least five tackles on special teamsÂ
Led the team with 10 total tackles (nine solo) vs. Jacksonville (9/15) and brought down QB Gardner Minshew II for a loss of eight yards, notching his first sack since Week 14 of 2017
Posted four total tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery, the second of his career in the Week 3 win over the L.A. Chargers (9/22). Added one special teams tackle in the game
Led the team with 14 total tackles (eight solo) and added one tackle for loss vs. Carolina (9/29). His 14 tackles were the most by a Texan since Benardrick McKinney recorded 15 in Week 3 of 2016
Tied for the team lead with seven total tackles (four solo) vs. Oakland (10/27) and added one tackle for loss and his first pass defensed of the season
Finished second on the team with seven total tackles (seven solo) at Jacksonville (11/3) and recovered his second fumble of the season off of a fumble by Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew II forced by OLB Jacob Martin
Registered a team-high 10 total tackles (seven solo) on defense and one special teams tackle at Baltimore (11/17)
Led the team with a single-game career-high 16 total tackles (13 solo) vs. Indianapolis (11/21), which ties for the fourth-most total tackles recorded in a game in Texans history and ties for the second-most solo tackles recorded in a game in franchise history
Tied for the team lead with seven total tackles (three solo) and added 0.5 sack and one quarterback hit vs. New England (12/1). Tied Jay Foreman (98 in 2003) for the ninth-most total tackles by a Texans player through Week 13 in team history
Led the team with 16 total tackles (11 solo) and added two tackles for loss and one special teams tackle vs. Denver (12/8). Became the third player in franchise history to record at least 15 total tackles in multiple games of a season (Jamie Sharper and Jay Foreman in 2003) and his two games with 15-or-more tackles tied for the most in the NFL on the season
Led the team with 14 total tackles (10 solo), 0.5 sack and one quarterback hit at Tennessee (12/15). Registered his fourth game with at least 14 tackles in 2019, which set a single-season franchise record and tied DeMeco Ryans (four) for the most such games in a career in franchise history
Led the team with six total tackles (six solo) and added one pass defensed at Tampa Bay (12/21)
Finished second on the team with nine total tackles (five solo), one tackle for loss and one pass defensed in the Wild Card Round win over Buffalo (1/4/20). Became the third player in Texans history to record at least five total tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass defensed in a postseason game, joining Johnathan Joseph (2011) and J.J. Watt (2012)
Led the team with seven total tackles (five solo) and had a quarterback hit, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed in the Divisional Round at Kansas City (1/12/20)
2018 (Houston 14/14, 1/1):
Tied for the team lead with a career-high 105 total tackles (73 solo), five passes defensed, one interception returned for a touchdown, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2018
Finished tied for second on the team with seven total tackles and one pass defensed at New England (9/9)
Registered a team-high eight total tackles (six solo) and one special teams tackle at Tennessee (9/16)
Notched six total tackles (five solo) and one tackle for loss vs. the N.Y. Giants (9/23). Surpassed 100 career total tackles (102)
Recorded seven total tackles (six solo), one tackle for loss and two passes defensed at Indianapolis (9/30). Passed Dunta Robinson (105) for the fourth-most total tackles by a player through his first 20 career games in franchise history
Finished with a team-high nine total tackles (six solo) and one quarterback hit vs. Dallas (10/7)
Tallied a career-high 13 total tackles (nine solo) vs. Buffalo (10/14) and ranks fifth in franchise history for the most total tackles (50) through a player's first six games of a season
Led the team with 10 total tackles (eight solo) and one forced fumble at Jacksonville (10/21). Became the first Texans player to record three consecutive games with at least 10 total tackles since DeMeco Ryans and Bernard Pollard in Weeks 3-5 of the 2010 season. Recorded the second-most total tackles (60) through the first seven games of a season in franchise history, trailing only ILB Benardrick McKinney (69) in 2016
Notched two total tackles (one solo), one interception and two passes defensed vs. Cleveland (12/2). Registered his first career interception and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown
Recorded 12 total tackles (seven solo) and one forced fumble at Philadelphia (12/23). Joined Kiko Alonso and Bobby Wagner as the only players in the NFL to record multiple games with at least 10 total tackles and one forced fumble in 2018
Finished with a team-high six total tackles (five solo) and his first-career fumble recovery on special teams vs. Jacksonville (12/30)
Recorded seven total tackles (five solo), one quarterback hit, one pass defensed and one special teams tackle in his postseason debut in the Wild Card Round vs. Indianapolis (1/5)
Finished second on the team with 82 total tackles (45 solo), six passes defensed, five tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 16 games played
Finished tied for second among all NFL rookies in total tackles in 2017 and fourth in franchise history among rookies
First player in franchise history to record 80 total tackles and eight special teams tackles in a single season
Recorded four defensive tackles, a pass deÂfensed and a special teams stop in his NFL debut vs. Jacksonville (9/10)
Made his first career start at the MIKE poÂsition and recorded four solo stops at CinÂcinnati (9/14)
Started his second consecutive game at the MIKE linebacker position and recorded a team-high seven combined tackles at New England (9/24)
Started his third consecutive game and proÂduced two total tackles vs. Tennessee (10/1)
Made nine combined tackles and added his first career forced fumble vs. Kansas City (10/8)
Started at linebacker at made one solo stop with one pass defensed vs. Cleveland (10/15)
Made his sixth start of the season and proÂduced five total tackles vs. Indianapolis (11/5)
Started his fifth straight game and produced four total tackles with one special teams tackle vs. Arizona (11/19)
Appeared in his 11th game of the season and produced four total tackles at Baltimore (11/27)
Notched four total tackles while producing his first career quarterback hit, first two tackles for loss and first career sack at Tennessee (12/3)
Posted nine tackles (six solo) and notched a quarterback hit, tackle for loss and 1.0 sack for consecutive weeks for the first time vs. San Francisco (12/10)
Logged five tackles (four solo) and added one special teams tackle at Jacksonville (12/17)
Notched 10 total tackles (seven solo), while recording a career-high three passes defensed vs. Pittsburgh (12/25)
Tallied 11 tackles at Indianapolis (12/31) Â and became the second rookie this season to post 10-or-more tackles in consecutive games
Played three seasons (2014-16) at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. after redshirting the 2013 campaign
Finished his Commodores career ranked third in program history with 39.5 tackles for loss and finished with 295 career tackles
Earned coaches first-team All-SEC (2015-16)
Named Associated Press First-Team All-SEC (2015-16)
Swept first team All-America honors from every prestigious outlet, including Associated Press, Football Writers of America (FWAA), Walter Camp Foundation, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), ESPN, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, The Sporting News and USA Today as a senior in 2016
Became just the third player in Vanderbilt history to earn first team All-America honors from the Walter Camp Foundation
Finished the regular season leading the SEC with 125 total tackles (9.6 per game), ranking sixth nationally in 2016
Played in all 12 games and earning nine starts at inside linebacker as a redshirt sophomore
Ranked among the league leaders in numerous statistical categories, including tackles for loss, solo tackles, total tackles, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries in 2015
Compiled 67 total tackles (37 solo), 1.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble as a redshirt freshman in 2014
Redshirted as a true freshman in 2013, participating as a scout team linebacker
Parents are Fred and Sophie Cunningham
Attended Pinson (Ala.) Valley High School
Senior captain and three-year starter at linebacker for the Indians
Concluded his prep career by receiving Alabama 5A Lineman of the Year and Birmingham News' Lineman of the Year honors after 2012 campaign
Amassed 448 total tackles during his three-year varsity career
As a senior in 2012, earned first-team all-state after leading PVHS to an 8-4 record and the second round of the 5A playoffs
Contributed 194 total tackles, including 41 tackles for loss and 12 sacks along with four blocked punts during the season
Participated in postseason Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl
As junior in 2011, earned all-state recognition after registering 152 tackles
Has four brothers: Frederick, Ethan, Nathan and Zapheth; and two sisters, Gabriel and Danica
Enjoys playing the guitar
Majored in economics while attending Vanderbilt
