An undrafted tight end out of tiny Woodbine, Iowa, chasing a roster spot with the hometown-adjacent Texans.
Layne Pryor is a rookie tight end who spent his college career close to home at Northern Iowa before signing on with Houston as an undrafted free agent. He is still fighting for a foothold in the league, with his first NFL season interrupted by a practice-squad injured list stint.
Path to the league
Pryor grew up in Woodbine, Iowa, and stayed in-state for college, playing tight end for the Northern Iowa Panthers. He went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft and signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent.
Career highlights
At Northern Iowa in 2024, Pryor caught 30 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns across 11 games, earning All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Honorable Mention recognition. He finished among the more productive tight ends in the FCS ranks that season, an unheralded but steady contributor for the Panthers.
2025 season recap
Pryor's rookie year has been about survival more than stats. He spent the fall on Houston's practice squad before landing on the practice squad injured list with an undisclosed issue, never getting elevated to the active roster. He later signed a future contract with the Texans, giving him another shot to make the 2026 roster.
Sources
- ESPN: Layne Pryor
- ESPN: Layne Pryor College Stats
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- Northern Iowa
- Hometown
- Woodbine, IA, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
