HOUSTON – Low to the ground, Kayden McDonald fired across the line of scrimmage out of his three-point stance.
His charge was powerful, and effective. The Texans rookie defensive tackle, regarded as the top run-stopping interior lineman in the draft, reached his destination as he penetrated the backfield.
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That’s the kind of strength and technique the Texans expect and anticipate from McDonald during his first NFL season. Drafted in the second round, the Big Ten Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year from Ohio State is already making a strong impression on the coaching staff.
“I think the biggest job he’s done well is trying to get acclimated, learn our scheme, learn our system," said Texans defensive tackles coach Frank Okam, a former NFL defensive lineman and All-American for the Texas Longhorns. “What you really see, though, is a guy with a good physical presence, ability to knock back and control people on the line of scrimmage. So, we’re excited to continue to try to develop that so he can continue to grow and evolve in his defense and this scheme."
Now that he’s in the NFL, McDonald is determined to make an immediate impact as he’s set his ambitions on winning a Super Bowl and becoming an NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season.
The Texans targeted McDonald for a specific purpose: to bolster the middle of the top-ranked defense in the NFL as a big, strong anchor.
They regard him as the best run-stopping defensive tackle in this draft class.
“I just bring power, a powerful guy to come in and help them,” McDonald said. “Focusing on what I can do and the things I need to attack on, that I need to work on, build of those and let everything else handle itself.”
One of the major reasons why McDonald is in Houston after a consensus All-American season at Ohio State, recording 65 tackles to rival first-round draft picks Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs for the first hit for the Buckeyes defense last season, is to provide an imposing presence inside. That works perfectly in tandem with All-Pro defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, an elite and expensive pass rushing tandem.
“We’ve got $90 million on the outside,” McDonald said. “That’s all I can say.”
McDonald is off to a fast start with the Texans. Under the direction of defensive line coach and run game coordinator Rod Wright and Okam, defensive coordinator Matt Burke and coach DeMeco Ryans, McDonald was as advertised during the Texans’ offseason practices.
“I got my coaches, coach Rod, couch Frank, coach DeMeco, and just going to keep working every day,” McDonald said. “Just really focusing in on every day, working on what I need to work on, building that foundation, taking it one day at a time. I just keep working on myself and help my team win games.”
When McDonald was drafted by the Texans with the 36th overall pick, it was an emotional moment.
McDonald’s nephew, his sister, Justice’s son, congratulated him and began crying with tears of joy. The raw emotion triggered McDonald, too, and the moment went viral.
“My nephew, he looks up to me and he’s the next one up,” McDonald said. “It was a very emotional moment for me and my family. It got a lot of attention.”
McDonald doesn’t shy away from high expectations.
After meeting formally with the Texans at the NFL scouting combine, he visited them along with the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals. McDonald had a special feeling about the Texans throughout the draft process.
“Yes, sir. I thought it all the way through,” McDonald said. “Texans, they made it clear who the best defensive tackle was. It’s a blessing to be here. I’m ready for the opportunity.”
The Texans needed a young, athletic defensive tackle to work in tandem with Sheldon Rankins, Tommy Togiai and Logan 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 three sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
“What I like about Kayden and his tape at Ohio State is the physicality, it shows up,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “When he’s across the line from an offensive lineman, no matter who it was, he was knocking those guys back in the backfield. That translates to Houston Texans defense.
“We want to knock guys back. He does that. He’s still a very young player who has so much room to grow, so much room to ascend. It starts right here today. You see him in his individual drills. He has the power. We can win with that type of power.”
And confidence, too.
McDonald has stated multiple times he’s the best defensive tackle in the draft. The fact that he wasn’t the first defensive lineman selected bothers him to this day. And it provides significant motivational fuel.
“Being blessed, staying in the moment,” McDonald said. “You can’t take this for granted. I’m walking out here today, and it’s like: ‘This is your first day in the NFL.’ It’s not a game no more. It’s a job, and you got to take it serious. ..
“Just getting out there with my teammates for rookie minicamp. We’ve all got energy and enthusiasm. It’s a great opportunity. At the end of the day, we want to get to L.A. and win a Super Bowl.”
The way that McDonald can complement the pass rushers and edge-setters that headline the Texans’ front seven and keep blocks off of Pro Bowl middle linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair can make him a tone-setter.
“He’s one of the best in the league, he wants everything his way and we’ve got to follow that,” McDonald said. “You’ve got to stay on that $50 million, $40 million line. You’ve got Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, those are two All-Pro guys. You just follow that plan and all things are going to work out.”
McDonald was in the green room during the first round of the draft. When he got passed over, McDonald was convinced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to return for the second night of the draft. That led up to an emotional moment where McDonald got the life-changing call from the Texans after they traded up two spots to land him.
“Roger, he told me I’m going to be a special guy,” McDonald said. “He got a lot of respect for me and I’ve got a lot of respect for him. It meant a lot to me to come back on Day 2 and walk that stage.”
McDonald is already making fast friends with Anderson and is happy to reunite with former Ohio State players like quarterback C.J. Stroud and tight end Cade Stover. McDonald met Anderson at the Rockets’ playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
“My teammates, it’s like a brotherhood here,” McDonald said. “Staff, training staff, even the dieticians, people that cook the food, it’s been a warm welcome.
“Got to help out the defensive ends, get them to second-and-long, get them to third-and-long, let Will and Danielle Hunter and all the other guys get off the edge. It’s going to work out. Three-and-out, get off the field, give it back to C.J. and go score.”
The Texans’ defense, under the leadership of 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 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.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com