Cardinals Met With Disruptive NFL Draft DT

The Arizona Cardinals held a formal meeting with Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald at the NFL Combine, the player himself confirmed in an interview with Draft On SI's Justin Melo.

McDonald, considered to be one of the top players at his position, has met with practically every team looking for a defensive tackle.

"Formal interviews, Zoom meetings, it really feels like it’s been every team (laughs). I had formals at the NFL Combine with the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, and a few others," he said.

McDonald has gotten some late first round buzz as a defensive tackle. While Arizona does have the third overall pick, they do have the 34th pick — which is the second in round two.

Arizona's defensive line still is in search of a retool even after adding back-to-back first-round picks in Walter Nolen and Darius Robinson. It's also very possible the front seven gets an injection of talent at edge rusher early in the 2026 draft, where the Cardinals do have all seven picks.

McDonald fits a need and also checks the coveted Ohio State box for general manager Monti Ossenfort, as the Cardinals have a clear affinity for the Buckeyes — seeing four players in three years selected by Arizona.

From his NFL.com draft profile:

"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."

The Cardinals, specifically under Ossenfort, covet the ability to rush the passer in the trenches, so perhaps McDonald's limitations in that aspect knocks him down a few notches.

It's also notable the Cardinals' base defense is 3-4 as opposed to an even 4-3 front under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, though that shouldn't be an issue in terms of play and assignments for McDonald.

If the Cardinals don't trade up into the first round, this pick could make sense for Arizona to continue their defensive line improvement.