LSU EDGE Ali Gaye signs deal following NFL Draft

Former LSU Tigers defensive end Ali Gaye made it all the way from the Gambia, Africa’s smallest mainland country, to Baton Rouge. And now the next stop of his football journey is in Houston, as the Texans signed him as an undrafted free agent, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Gaye moved from Gambia to the United States when he was 12 years old, playing high school football at Edmonds Woodway in Washington. He was an under-recruited prospect out of high school attending two junior colleges (Arizona Western College and Garden City Community College) before making his way to Baton Rouge. Out of junior college, he was a three-star prospect, ranked the No. 42 overall player and the No. 5 defensive end at the junior college level according to On3’s Industry Rankings.

Gaye wreaked havoc on offenses once he arrived at LSU. He stuffed the stat sheet in his first season with the Tigers, ending the 2020 season with 32 tackles, six passes defended (tied for a team lead), two sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception. He earned second-team All-SEC honors from both the SEC Coaches and the Associated Press that season.

His 2021 season was riddled with injury, as he only appeared in eight games for the Tigers. He still managed 19 and 2.5 sacks in those four games, and would return to LSU as a permanent team captain in 2022.

Gaye recorded 36 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks last season, helping lead the Tigers to an SEC West division championship and an SEC Championship appearance.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Ali Gaye

Gaye has the prototypical build for a successful defense end in the NFL, towering at 6-foot-6 and weighing 263 pounds. The Senior Bowl participant looks the part, but will he play the part at the next level? NFL.com draft analyst Greg Zierlein broke down Gaye as a prospect, discussing what he does best and what he’ll need to improve on.

“Traits-based edge prospect who will need to improve his core strength and overall body control in order to allow those traits to make a difference as a pro,” Zierlein said. “Gaye’s length and effort provide advantages at times, but tackles with power tend to give him an inordinate amount of trouble. He’s much more effective aligned wide of the tackle as a rusher and playing upfield or in gaps as a run defender. His tape shows flashes of rush potential, but finding the control and balance needed is a must.”