HOUSTON – Ohio State consensus All-American defensive tackle Kayden McDonald joined the Texans in the second round, further bolstering the top-ranked defense in the league.
McDonald, projected as a potential first-round draft pick and linked to the Texans throughout the draft process, is determined to prove he deserved to be picked even higher.
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McDonald was the Big Ten Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year.
“They said I was the best defensive tackle in the draft,” McDonald said when asked about his interactions with the Texans coaching staff during his visit to Reliant Stadium. “The upside is there. I’m a physical player and I set the tone.”
Having McDonald along with Pro Bowl defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter and fellow defensive tackles Sheldon Rankins, Tommy Togiai, whom the Texans coaches said McDonald reminds them of, and Logan Hall is a formidable defensive line to go with Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr., Pro Bowl corner Kamari Lassiter and Pro Bowl safety Calen Bullock and safety Reed Blankenship.
The Texans’ defense, under the leadership of coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke is formidable.
“It’s going to be tough to score on us,” McDonald said. “We already got the pieces on defense. Adding me, it’s gonna be special. The defensive line coach told me I was the best in the class. I knew that they were coming to get me.
“There’s a guy named Tommy Togiai. He went to Ohio State and they said I remind them of him. They just want me to go attack. They don’t want me to react. They want me to go get it. That’ what I’m going to do. That’s what I do best."
McDonald was drafted 36th overall after a trade in the second round with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Texans traded the 38th overall pick and 117th overall selection of the fourth round in exchange for the Raiders’ original 36th overall pick and the 91st overall selection in the third round.
“We felt McDonald was probably the best run defender in the draft,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “Matt Patricia did a really good job with him, got the most out of him. He’ll be a good fit for our program. We like the player. The player falls, we can’t control any of that.
“We brought him in the building, had a good visit with him. Did a lot of work on him. We felt like he was the best run-stopping defensive tackle in the draft. So, let’s add him to the team.”
One of the top defensive players in the draft, McDonald is determined to prove the Texans made a great decision to pick him.
“Everybody that went before me, that’s what fuels me,” McDonald said. “There’s not one player better than me in this class. I’m gonna show it. I’m coming in to work.
“I knew I was going to go early Day 2. Can’t be down on yourself. All you need to do is get your foot in the door. And that’s what I did. And now it’s go time.”
The Big Ten Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year had a formal meeting with the Texans at the NFL scouting combine.
McDonald had multiple visits, including the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Texans can use a young, athletic defensive tackle for their top-ranked defense to work in tandem with Rankins, Togiai and Hall.
McDonald, a Texarkana native who grew up in Suwanee, Georgia, provides a dominant inside presence at 6-foot-2 1/8, 326 pounds and operates with outstanding leverage and pad level. The first-team All-Big Ten Conference selection recorded 65 tackles last season for the Buckeyes with three sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
“The upside is there, I’m only 21 years old,” McDonald said. “So, I got a little ways to go. The way I play, I’m a physical player. I set the tone. And I’m available. I’m going to be available. I’m a young player, and I got a lot of untapped potential. I’m going to get better every day.”
The breakout season propelled him into position into the NFL draft and to join the Texans.
McDonald isn’t regarded as a great pass rusher. Caserio compared him to former Texans defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi from a size standpoint.
“The big thing is you have to play to your strengths,” Caserio said. “What a player does well, let’s accentuate the strengths. I think sometimes even a player ha a perception, well, I want to be able to do this. Well, look, you’re 6-foot-3, 330 pounds. The best thing you do is play strong at the point of attack. So, your pass rush is probably going to be a little bit different than Denico Autry or somebody else that’s rushing inside.
“We have the best defensive coaching staff and probably have the best defensive line coach in the league in Rod Wright and Frank Okam. There’s a perception that we want a bunch of guys that sprint off the ball and don’t have enough playing strength. You’ve got to be able to play strong at the point of attack. Our defense has evolved. Does a player like this fit in this front. The answer is absolutely yes.”
McDonald was overcome with joy in an emotional scene after he wasn’t drafted in the first round. He remained in Pittsburgh overnight after being convinced to stay by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
His wait wasn’t long Friday night as he got the call to join the Texans, shouting out coach DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator Matt Burke and Caserio.
“This is a once in a lifetime experience,” McDonald said. “The Texans believe in me coach Burke, coach Ryans, Caserio, those guys believe in me. It was emotional seeing my family. I came from nothing. This is crazy to me.
“That defense, I’m telling you, we ready. I don’t really got too much to stay.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com