A deal has been worked out with each member of the Texans’ draft class. Second-round offensive linemen Aireontae Ersery agreed to terms with Houston on Saturday. 
The four-year pact is worth a total of $9.21MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. While it is unclear at this point how much Ersery secured in terms of guaranteed money, he is likely among the second-round rookies from the 2025 class who have moved the bar considerably in terms of locked in compensation. Ersery was taken with the No. 48 selection in April.
In 2023, that slot received 68.3% guaranteed; that figure rose to 71.1% last year (h/t Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap). It would come as no surprise if Ersery’s pact includes a larger portion guaranteed while falling short of a 100% rate in that regard. Of course, the Texans helped set a new precedent with respect to second-round guarantees by locking in all of No. 34 pick Jayden Higgins‘ pact in May.
That move created a long-running logjam amongst second-round rookies aiming to join Higgins in receiving a fully guaranteed pact. Not all managed to do so, but in recent days it has become clear players taken in that round will see notably more money locked in at signing moving forward. With Ersery’s deal done, he will be able to report to training camp alongside the rest of the Texans’ rookies along with their veterans on July 22.
Each of Ersery’s five college seasons were spent at Minnesota. He made only one appearance during each of the 2020 and ’21 campaigns, but after that he was a regular for the Golden Gophers who stood out as their left tackle. The second-team All-American was named the Big Ten’s top offensive lineman in 2024 and cemented his status as one of the draft’s top tackle prospects. In Houston, Ersery will look to occupy either the left or right tackle spot on an offensive line which has seen numerous changes this offseason and which enters training camp with a number of unanswered questions.
With Ersery ‘s deal finished, here is a final look at the Texans’ draft class:
- Round 2, No. 34 (from Giants): Jayden Higgins (WR, Iowa State) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 48 (from Dolphins through Raiders): Aireontae Ersery (T, Minnesota) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 79 (from Dolphins through Eagles and Commanders): Jaylin Noel (WR, Iowa State) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 97 (from Vikings through Jaguars)*: Jaylin Smith (CB, USC) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 116 (from Dolphins): Woody Marks (RB, USC) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 187 (from 49ers through Vikings and Jaguars): Jaylen Reed (S, Penn State) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 197 (from Broncos): Graham Mertz (QB, Florida) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 224 (from Bears through Dolphins): Kyonte Hamilton (DT, Rutgers) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 255 (from Browns)*: Luke Lachey (TE, Iowa) (signed)