As the 2026 NFL Draft has drawn to a close, the Houston Texans have their next crop of talent they believe can help them win a Super Bowl. Over the next few days, Houston will be looking to bring in a slew of undrafted free agents who didn't hear their name called during the draft.
Overall, it was a solid draft haul for the Texans. They ended up with just three picks in the first rounds, but two should be game-changers in interior lineman Keylan Rutledge and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. In Round 2, the Texans surprised folks in the Greater Houston area by selecting Michigan tight end Marlin Klein.
On Day 3, they also added some high upside rookies in offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu, linebacker Wade Woodaz, defensive back Kamari Ramsey, wide receiver Lewis Bond and linebacker Aiden Fisher.
How did the experts grade the draft class? We compiled 10 expert grades for the Texans' class and the majority of them were low on what L.A. did. Of the 12 grades, most passing, grading out with a B- or better. There was, however, one C- grade by a publication who hated every Day 3 pick and considered the Rutledge selection a reach.
From Nate Davis: "Not sexy. But good teams invest in the trenches, where the Texans took G Keyland Rutledge at the back of Round 1 and DT Kayden McDonald at the top of Round 2. Hard to shade reinforcements for the league’s No. 1 defense in 2025 and a blocker who might add a charge to a perennially average (at best) running game that needs to do a lot more to support QB C.J. Stroud. (And, on that front, swapping a fourth-round pick as the primary currency in March’s trade for RB David Montgomery seems eminently wise.)"
From Cole Thompson: "For a draft built on finding depth, the Texans should feel good walking away feeling as if the goal was accomplished. Two of the biggest long-term weaknesses were defensive tackle and interior offensive line. Keylan Rutledge and Kayden McDonald fill the void and should be a part of the starting lineups no later than Week 6. And for the McDonald pick, when the internet is letting you know that it should be illegal for him to pair up with DeMeco Ryans, one should assume it's the right move.
Everyone else should serve as role players with a chance to expand their reps in time. Marlin Klein felt like a reach on Day 2, but he fits what second-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley wants at the position. Febechi Nwaiwu is a versatile lineman who might lack athleticism, but makes up for it with brute strength. Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher fill in behind the three starting linebackers and should compete for special teams time. Kamari Ramsey, in terms of value, should be considered a steal.
From Mel Kiper Jr.: "Keylan Rutledge is pro-ready with 43 career starts, and he amazingly allowed just two sacks over that entire time. The pick I really liked came shortly after Round 2 began. The big, bad Texans defense got scarier. For all of Rutledge's experience, Kayden McDonald was the opposite. He didn't start until 2025, but you wouldn't know it from the tape. It was a big breakout campaign, with 67 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 17 run stops and three sacks. He's a powerful 326-pounder, but he can move. Sheldon Rankins is occupying the middle, but there's room for McDonald to see meaningful snaps in the Texans' 4-3 defense.
"The rest of the picks were a little confusing, at least in terms of value. I was shocked to hear Marlin Klein's name in Round 2. I didn't have him in the top 150, and he was the ninth-best tight end on my board (I split out halfbacks into a different position list, so he's even lower if you combine them). Klein caught 38 career passes, and he needs to work on his blocking. He's a good developmental prospect, but I didn't understand going this early on him when Oscar Delp, Justin Joly, Eli Raridon and Max Klare were all there (and other needs existed)."
From Cade Reuter: "The Texans upgraded the offensive line with Rutledge, a strong finisher, but they gave up two mid-round selections to move up just two spots to select him. Houston moved up again in the second round, too, swapping mid-round picks with Las Vegas to jump ahead of the Giants for McDonald, an excellent run defender who was worthy of a first-round selection. The Texans passed on the chance to add more defensive talent to grab the tall, athletic Klein in the second round. Their grade also reflects the decision to give up this year's third-round pick for running back Woody Marks in the 2025 draft. Marks flashed as a rookie, but he didn't stop the Texans from trading for David Montgomery to be the team's primary ball-carrier."
From Diante Lee: "The Texans really leaned into their identity of toughness in this draft. First-rounder Keylan Rutledge is a road-grading brawler who can immediately contribute at any of the three interior offensive line spots, providing a massive boon not only for C.J. Stroud but also for the team’s subpar run game. Houston turned around in the second and traded up for defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, a stonewall run defender who holds his ground and mucks up opposing offensive plans. He should play on early downs right away, and he brings the upside to develop as an interior pass rusher as well. The rest of the Texans' draft looks to be made up of developmental depth options; Marlin Klein is a raw but athletic tight end who could work his way into the team’s rotation down the line, and Febechi Nwaiwu gives the team more depth on the line. All in all, Rutledge and McDonald make up the beef of this class, both literally and figuratively, but Houston may need to wait a few years to see returns on the rest of their picks."
From PFF on Rutledge: "Rutledge was a late riser in the pre-draft process — and offensive linemen tend to go earlier than expected in general — but it’s an interesting decision by Houston to move up to take him, as he ranked outside the top 50 on most consensus big boards. Rutledge earned PFF grades below 70.0 in his first three seasons — at Middle Tennessee State and Georgia Tech — before showing improvement in the run game in his final season (77.8 PFF grade)."
From Carter Bahns: "The Texans were in a trading mood. They moved up for both of their first two picks, first for Keylan Rutledge and on Day 2 for Kayden McDonald.
They might not have needed to trade up in order to grab Rutledge, as most prognosticators tabbed him as a second-round pick. That doesn't make it a poor selection, though. The Texans are in the midst of a total offensive line overhaul and still had a little bit of work to do on the interior. They found what is arguably the second-best guard in the class and got aggressive in taking him, and then they took another guard on Day 3 in Febechi Nwaiwu."
From Vinnie Iyer: "The Texans went well off the board to take Rutledge early, with McDonald being a much better redemption pick for their defensive line. Klein went too early and there weren't any standout value picks besides Ramsey."
From Nate Tice: "Houston made an unorthodox pick in Keylan Rutledge at the bottom of the first round, but he makes sense as a hard-nosed player who fits in the Texans’ blocking scheme. They made what could be the home run pick of the draft when they traded up early in the second round to take Ohio State nose tackle Kayden McDonald, who has an incredible amount of playmaking and skill for a bigger nose tackle. Wade Woodaz in the fourth round is a nice project for DeMeco Ryans to get his hands on as well as the Texans look for a new impact player at linebacker."
From Gilberto Manzano: "Houston continued to upgrade its offensive line in the draft, selecting Rutledge and Nwaiwu after signing tackle Braden Smith and guard Wyatt Teller in free agency. The Texans also got a steal in McDonald, who should anchor their interior defensive line for years as a run-stuffer. This was a meat-and-potatoes draft that upgraded the trenches for both units.
From Brent Solbeski: "Along with free-agent additions Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller, Rutledge should help give the Texans a physical identity in the trenches. He was the third-ranked interior lineman on the B/R board.
The Texans traded up again in Round 2, flipping a third-round pick for a fourth-rounder, in order to secure Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. Many expected the former Buckeye to hear his name called on opening night. Houston also added offensive help in the second round, adding raw but promising tight end Marlin Klein.
Rutledge and McDonald have the potential to be early starters, while Kelein and Febechi Nwaiwu could be key pieces of the offensive future. Getting Kamari Ramsey, the 76th-ranked prospect on the B/R board, in Round 3 was an outright steal. Overall, Nick Caserio and Co. did a solid job of marrying positional need with prospects who fit the team's desired identity."