How this BYU product fared in his first taste of NFL preseason action

The Houston Texans are considered to be one of the NFL’s most intriguing teams heading into 2024, and Max Tooley is now fighting to be part of their story.

Undrafted out of BYU this past April, Tooley’s case for a roster spot was strengthened on the field Thursday night, when he played with the Texans in the NFL Hall of Fame game to kick off the league’s preseason action.

The Bountiful, Utah, native made two total tackles, a number that likely would have been higher had the contest not ended in the third quarter due to inclement weather.

Tooley’s highlight of the evening came on a solo stop to blow up an opposing screen play.

Houston ultimately fell to the Chicago Bears 21-17 in the abbreviated affair.

Since signing with the Texans in late April, the former BYU linebacker has made a solid impression on his new club.

Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report even named him Houston’s most likely rookie free agent to make the final 53-man roster.

“Max Tooley’s path to making the Houston Texans’ roster lies in his ability to play special teams and his pass coverage,” Ballentine wrote . “Being a bottom-of-the-depth-chart linebacker in the league usually entails playing just about everywhere on special teams. At 6′2″ and 225 pounds with a reasonable 4.58-second 40-yard dash, Tooley should be able to contribute in that department.

“Tooley also had solid ball production for a linebacker at BYU with seven career interceptions and eight pass breakups ... It doesn’t hurt that his primary competition for a roster spot might come from fellow rookie Jamal Hill, who was only a sixth-round pick.”

Across parts of six seasons in Provo, Tooley recorded 311 total tackles — 16.5 for loss — with three sacks and two interceptions returned for touchdowns.