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Houston Texans select Kayden McDonald in 2nd round of 2026 NFL Draft after trade with Raiders

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz04/24/26NickSchultz_7

The Houston Texans have selected former Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. McDonald has been considered one of the top defensive tackles during the pre-draft process and has now heard his name called.

The Texans traded up to select McDonald. They acquired the No. 36 and No. 117 overall picks from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for No. 38 and No. 91.

McDonald is coming off a highly productive season for the Buckeyes in 2025. He started all 14 games and logged 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup. He earned first team All-American status per AP, as well as earning the title of Big Ten Conference DL of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy.

He was also a part of Ohio State’s national championship roster in 2024. He played in all 16 games during the year as a reserve logging 19 tackles and 1.5 TFLs. He spent 2023 as a reserve limited to four games.

Before college, McDonald was a four-star recruit according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 276 overall recruit during the 2023 class and No. 37 defensive lineman overall.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Kayden McDonald

Now that McDonald has been drafted, his new fanbase may want to know what to expect out of their newest DL. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided in-depth analysis on the former Ohio State standout.

“A talented run defender, McDonald plays with natural leverage and rattles pads with his initial contact. He’s quick to locate ball-carriers, play off of blocks and rally to the action. His technique is a bit underdeveloped and he’s not a natural drain-clogger against double teams, but he still managed an unusually high tackle rate as an interior defender. Quicker hand strikes should allow for more efficient reps and earlier wins at the point. He offers limited rush value, so his money will be made by giving grief to centers and guards as an even-front nose tackle with starting potential.”