Texans Will Host Pre-Draft Visit for Ohio State Standout

The Houston Texans might be keeping an eye on one of this year's standout defensive prospects from Ohio State as a target in the back-end of the first round for this year's NFL Draft.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald will be set to visit the Texans among several other teams.

McDonald reportedly already had a formal interview with the Texans during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis earlier this month. But now, he'll be set for a second meeting, this time in Houston.

Along with the Texans, McDonald also has pre-draft meetings scheduled with New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals, per Wilson.

Could Texans Target Kayden McDonald in the Draft?

McDonald, a 6'2", 326-pound defensive tackle, is viewed as one of the better talents at his position in the class slated to hear his name called towards the back-end of the first round–– which happens to be right where the Texans are selecting at pick 28.

In the event McDonald falls down the board, Houston also has a high pick in the second round at 38th overall that could offer flexibility to target him if they were interested, and there's a good case for the Texans to keep him in mind with either of those first two selections.

McDonald would fill a glaring need on the Texans' defensive interior by filling the depth lost by the departures of Tim Settle Jr. and Mario Edwards from earlier this offseason, and potentially fitting in nicely as a day-one starter next to the veteran presence of Sheldon Rankins on the opposite side of him.

Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald (DL21) speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Last year at Ohio State, McDonald had a career-best season with 65 combined tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles as a key piece on their defensive front. And at just 21 years old headed into his rookie year, he'll have tons of room for growth on whatever NFL team takes a chance on him.

There is a world where Houston may decide to target another young offensive line piece atop their draft board, or even another weapon on that side of the ball instead of a defensive tackle like McDonald. Especially if the Texans are confident in rolling out 2025 standout Tommy Togiai as a weekly starter on their 4-3 front, it'll scale their need down for an upgrade on the front seven.

But if bolstering this already-elite defense with a spark of youth and high upside were high on the list of priorities for DeMeco Ryans and the Texans' front office, keep an eye on the Ohio State product as a potential piece of that puzzle.

The 2026 NFL Draft now stands just under a month away, kicking off on April 23rd through the 25th in Pittsburgh, PA, where the Texans will then make their long-awaited draft decision at 28 and beyond.

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