Former LSU LB Devin White signs with AFC South leader Houston Texans

Former LSU star Devin White has signed closer to home with one of the NFL’s top contenders.

The AFC South-leading Houston Texans (5-2) announced Wednesday the addition of the former Super Bowl champion and All-Pro linebacker.

White signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason after spending his first five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He did not play in the first four weeks before the Eagles released him on Oct. 8.

The former All-American with the Tigers joins another pair of former LSU stars in cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and defensive end Danielle Hunter on the Texans’ defense.

Houston is currently tied for second in the overall AFC standings — behind the Kansas City Chiefs and tied with the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers — and holds the fourth-best betting odds to win the conference.

But the Texans are also dealing with injuries at the linebacker position, including Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o both missing this past week’s road loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Houston hosts the Indianapolis Colts, currently a game back in the AFC South standings, Sunday at noon.

White was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and started 75 games for Tampa Bay with 566 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, 23 sacks, 64 quarterback hits, 21 passes defended, six forced fumbles and three interceptions.

The Springhill native and highly recruited prospect out of North Webster led the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers’ defense in 2020 with 140 tackles, including 15 for loss and nine sacks, plus four passes defended and a forced fumbles and again in 2021 with 128 tackles, including eight for loss and 3.5 sacks.

He was one of the team’s top two leading tacklers each of his first four seasons in the league and third on the team last season with 83 tackles in 14 games.