Maehl on the move

Paradise native and standout football player Jeff Maehl has joined the professional ranks, but the NFL rookie will have to claw his way onto the playing field.

Maehl (pictured), a product of Paradise High and, more recently, the Oregon Ducks, has signed to the practice squad of the Houston Texans.

The 22-year-old wide receiver wasn’t picked up in the 2011 draft, despite his stellar record last year with the Ducks, which included catching 77 passes for 1,076 yards and helping lead the team to the Bowl Championship Series against the Auburn Tigers.

Initially, back in July, the Texans signed Maehl as a free agent. But he was subsequently waived by the team early this month, and then re-signed for practice. Maehl will train with Houston’s 53-man roster, but he won’t see playing time unless he’s promoted to the active roster of this or any other NFL team.