Kayden McDonald NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Houston Texans DT

Matt HolderNov 26, 2025

The Houston Texans selected Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

While Kayden McDonald's technique is a work in progress, he displays a unique ability to get himself out of bad positions and dominate against the run thanks to his rare combination of size (6'2", 326 lbs), strength and athleticism. Also, his fundamentals have improved down the stretch of this past season.

McDonald went to Ohio State as a 4-star recruit in the 2023 class and saw the field sparingly as a true freshman. In Year 2, he was stuck behind Tyleik Williams, who later became a first-round draft pick, but contributed as part of the Buckeyes' defensive line rotation, collecting 19 tackles, 1.5 for loss and a pass defended in 16 games.

During the 2025 campaign, the Georgia native experienced a breakout season, taking command of the starting nose tackle job and recording 65 tackles, nine TFLs, three sacks and two forced fumbles. That resulted in a unanimous All-American selection and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year Award.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Highlights

1 of 5

Scroll down for the complete scouting report.

Where He Wins

2 of 5

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 28 Ohio State at Michigan State

Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

- McDonald presents good size and a thick build with massive legs to help him absorb contact as a run-defender.

- Solid get-off, quick reaction to the snap and decent acceleration off the line of scrimmage.

- Plenty of strength and power at the point of attack to stand up interior offensive linemen and reset the line of scrimmage when he plays with good pad-level.

- Solid at running his feet and moving laterally to avoid getting reached.

- When he gets out of position or loses his gap against the run, his combination of strength, athleticism and quickness can help him recover and still make tackles near the line of scrimmage.

- Has the quickness and a hump-move to escape blocks.

- Showed the ability to use his quickness and athleticism to make offensive linemen miss a change of pace, keeping linemen on their toes throughout the game.

Areas of Improvement

3 of 5

Jason Mowry/Getty Images

- McDonald plays with his hands down, allowing offensive linemen to get into his chest, thus preventing him from getting extension on blocks. However, he did show growth in this area down the stretch of last season.

- Block recognition is subpar, causing him to get into bad positions.

- His ability to recover isn't as effective against higher-level competition. Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane, a potential first-round guard, was able to stay attached and prevent him from making tackles.

- Has a habit of standing up out of his stance and playing with a narrow base, causing issues holding his gap against double-teams.

- Offers little as a pass-rusher. His wide hands and inconsistent pad-level hurt the effectiveness of his bull rush.

- Pass-rush motor isn't good, either. McDonald often stops rushing when his first move doesn't work.