Taking the long route back to Houston
Well-traveled Alufohai picks up game late but works for shot as undrafted free agent
Not long after Auzoyah Alufohai was born in Houston, he became a world traveler.
That initial move to Nigeria for Auzoyah Alufohai (pronunced Ah-ZOY-ah Ah-LOOF-oh-hai) and his family launched an odyssey that ultimately brought the 6-4, 320-pound nose tackle back to his birthplace as an NFL rookie.
“It’s all come full circle now,” said Alufohai, who signed a three-year contract with the Texans after going undrafted out of West Georgia, a Division II school. “It’s incredible to be going back to Houston where my life started.”
Before his second birthday, Alufohai’s father, Fola, a Shell executive, was relocated to Nigeria.
The family remained there for nine years before work stints for Fola in Malaysia and Qatar. Eventually, Alufohai’s mother, Eire, decided that was enough moving for her son. He enrolled in a boarding school in Rome, Ga., on a basketball scholarship.
Following an eligibility issue, Alufohai moved to Alpharetta, Ga, where he lived with his uncle and guardian.
He didn’t play football until his senior year of high school but quickly caught on to the nuances of his new sport.
Although he initially drew interest from Auburn and North Carolina before they withdrew their scholarship offers because of academic issues, Alufohai enrolled at Kennesaw State.
“I liked that it was a first-year program,” Alufohai said. “I wanted to be a part of something new, something special.”
Before he could get on the field, though, Alufohai had to prepare himself physically. He was 360 pounds at the time.
“I had to get serious about diet and exercise,” said Alufohai, who quickly dropped 30 pounds. “I got to work. I would get up at 5 a.m. to work out. I would run, box, you name it. I paid the price.”
As a junior, he started every game and recorded 31 tackles with 1½ for losses.
When Alufohai got hurt before his senior year, he attempted to get a medical redshirt from the NCAA. They ruled he wasn’t eligible for one because he had already redshirted once.
So, he dropped down from Division I to Division II West Georgia to remain near home.
He excelled, recording 31 tackles, four for losses, three forced fumbles and two sacks. Named an honorable-mention All-American, Alufohai became a hot commodity in NFL scouting circles. He was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl, getting to compete against all-star athletes from Power Five schools.
“That was a really important week for me,” said Alufohai, who suffered a minor ankle injury and didn’t get to play in the game after showing what he could do during drills in practice. “I got to prove I belong.”
Now with the Texans, Alufohai joins a defensive line in need of depth. The Texans lost nose tackle D.J. Reader to Cincinnati in free agency.
The Texans drafted TCU AllBig 12 defensive tackle Ross Blacklock in the second round and resigned Brandon Dunn in the offseason. Alufohai was recruited by Texans defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.
Alufohai drew steady interest from the Texans throughout the draft process before signing a three-year contract.
“I can’t wait to start playing for coach Weaver,” said Alufohai, who talked with Texans linebacker and former West Georgia standout Tyrell Adams about his decision to join the Texans. “It’s exciting.”
When running back Arian Foster was playing for the Texans, he gave Alufohai an autograph. Years later, Alufohai has joined the same franchise that once signed Foster as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee.
“Meeting Arian Foster was amazing,” said Alufohai, who posted a video of him getting the autograph on social media after agreeing to terms with the Texans. “To know that he had a similar path with the Texans, being undrafted, that means a lot to me. I can’t wait to get to work.”