Former Bainbridge High School Bearcat All-Region 1AAAA and University of Arkansas Razorback All-Southeastern Conference defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard has been activated by the Houston Texans from their practice squad.

He is scheduled to play during Monday night’s game against the Indianapolis Colts in Indianapolis.

Sheppard, son of Ricky and Evelyn Sheppard of Bainbridge, was praised by Texans head coach Gary Kubiak last Monday for being what he called probably one of the four most improved payers on the football team throughout the first six weeks of the regular season.

In a story by Nick Scurfield of the Texans’ public relations staff on the team’s Web site, Sheppard said it meant a lot for coach Kubiak to say such a nice thing about him.

“Coach Kubiak is an outstanding person,” the 6-foot-2 and 285-pound former Bearcat and Razorback said. “Just any compliment from him means a lot.

“I’ll just keep working and try to prove myself to my teammates and try to prove myself to these coaches,” Sheppard said.

The Texans, who are currently 4-2 and tied for second with the Colts in the American Football Conference’s Southern Division, are just a game behind the division-leading Tennessee Titans.