Houston Texans · LB RoomLB

#45 E.J. Speed

Status  Physically Unable to Perform — QuadricepsExp  7 yrs NFLAge  31Ht / Wt  6'4" · 230 lbCollege  Tarleton State

Depth-chart placement

Current role

MLB2

Placement

Backup

Room

Linebacker

Experience

YR 8

Last change

Updated 2026-07-29

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LB room context

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E.J. Speed holds the MLB · Backup spot in Houston Texans’s linebacker room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

WLB · StarterHenry To'oTo'oStarter

MLB · StarterAzeez Al-ShaairStarter

WLB · BackupWade WoodazBackup

MLB · BackupE.J. SpeedBackup

E.J. Speed played 18 games in 2025 with a 42% snap share.

Production

2025 season

Latest season · 2025

Passes defended

Background & career

E.J. Speed is a 31-year-old middle linebacker for the Houston Texans, standing 6'4" and weighing 230 pounds. Selected in the fifth round (164th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft by Indianapolis, Speed attended Tarleton State. He currently holds seven years of professional experience and carries a two-year contract with Houston valued at $5 million annually and $7.5 million guaranteed. Speed has one pass defensed in the 2025 season.

Tarleton Statethrough 2018

Colts2019 – 2024

Texans2025 — present

College

Tarleton StateDraftRound 5 · No. 164 overall · 2019 · INDAcquiredAcquired from Indianapolis Colts · drafted thereHometownFort Worth, TX