White signs as free agent with Houston Texans

[April 30, 2012]  NORMAL -- Former Illinois State offensive tackle Cody White had to wait for three days for the 2012 National Football League draft to finish to get a call about his future, but the wait paid off and he accepted a free-agent contract to play for the Houston Texans Saturday.

White, a Normal Community West graduate and four-year letter winner for the Redbirds, trained in the high altitude of Denver with renowned trainer Loren Landow after he graduated from Illinois State in December with his degree in agriculture. He also worked out for scouts at a combine hosted by Northwestern in early March and at the ISU Pro Day on March 21.

Illinois State head coach Brock Spack believes White could have a bright future in the NFL.

"We are all very proud of Cody and wish him the best of luck with the Texans," Spack said. "Cody has worked very hard to become the player he is today, and I think this is a great opportunity for him. His toughness and work ethic will take him a long way in the NFL and I have no doubt that he will have a great shot to make roster as a guard or possibly center."

After playing his first two seasons at tight end for ISU, White moved to the offensive line prior to the 2010 season. In his junior season, he played in all 11 games at various positions on the line and helped bolster a unit that posted 4,279 yards on the season, the eighth-best single-season mark in school history.

White earned the starting spot at left tackle heading into his senior season of 2011 and was tasked with protecting quarterback Matt Brown's blind side. He started all 11 games and earned all-Missouri Valley Conference honorable mention honors as part of an all-senior offensive line for the Redbirds. ISU rushed for 183.4 yards per game in 2011, up from an average of just 131 yards the previous season, and the offensive line unit allowed just six sacks all season, which ranked No. 3 in the Football Championship Subdivision national rankings.

Overall, White played in 43 of a possible 44 games in his stellar career and helped the Redbirds to three straight winning seasons from 2009-11, marking the first time ISU had achieved that feat since 1998-2000.

White joins former Redbirds Laurént Robinson (Jacksonville Jaguars), Tom Nelson (Philadelphia Eagles) and Chris Riley (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) in the NFL.

[Text from news release received from Lauren Hutchcraft, assistant athletics communications director, Illinois State University]