Who else is coming to the Houston Texans ahead of Saturday's final day of the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Texans didn't wait for the Georgia Tech offensive lineman to fall into their lap at pick No. 28. They knew he was destined to be a part of the long-term plan, which is why they traded up two spots to get him.
“This guy is all ball,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “Doesn’t care about anything else. He wants to punch you in the mouth and that works here.”
Once the run on offensive linemen began, Houston knew it needed to settle on its top pick. The name: Rutledge, a mauler in the trenches who excelled in run blocking during his lone season in Atlanta. The 6-foot-4, 318-pound lineman didn't allow a sack in over 400 pass-blocking reps last season and has position flexibility, having tested at guard and center, helping the Yellow Jackets secure a 10-win season.
"Toughness, violence, physicality, playing style, his intelligence," Caserio said of the newcomer. "I mean, basically, the guy wants to step on your throat on every play, which I would say sort of embodies what our football team is about, the way we play, intense, violent, physical. We’re going to run the football this year.”
So the Texans have added a new interior offensive lineman entering a crucial year. Who else could be on the board when Houston picks at No. 38? What about at the end of Round 2? And does anyone else say Houston will move up from No. 91?
Texans Wire has rounded up the latest 2026 NFL mock drafts, where experts believe the Texans will more than likely shore up the trenches on the defensive side in Round 2.
From Miller on McDonald: "McDonald was a possibility for Houston in the first round. Giving coach DeMeco Ryans a space-eating nose tackle who was active enough to make 65 tackles last season almost seems unfair. With the starter-caliber offensive tackles off the board, this is an easy pick for Houston."
From Flick on Miller: "Houston improved its interior offensive line with Keylan Rutledge in the first round, and it should continue bolstering its defensive line on Day 2. Miller blends power and athleticism to thrive against the run and flash on passing downs."
From Edwards on Trotter: "Houston gets a tough, instinctive linebacker to plug into DeMeco Ryans' defense."
Baumgardner on Terrell: "The corners took a tumble again in this year’s draft, which is sort of becoming a theme. Terrell is another top-30 player on my board and could push for starting time immediately."
Locker on Hill Jr.: "With both Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o soon to be free agents, the Texans would be shrewd to pick a starting-caliber linebacker. With few such options remaining, Hill makes sense given his 79.7 PFF run-defense grade, 4.5% missed tackle rate and local ties."
From Thompson on Lew: "Rutledge could be viewed simply as a guard who is competing with Wyatt Teller for reps at left guard. That means that Lew could end up being the best player on the board. He was considered a fringe Day 1 prospect entering the year, but a torn ACL suffered in October stunted his draft stock. A team captain and two-year starter with the Tigers, the All-SEC lineman has been regarded as athletic and quick, and strong at the point of attack and capable of getting to the second level."
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: 2026 NFL mock draft round-up: Who are Houston's picks in Rounds 2 and 3?