What NFL Executives Are Saying About Texans' Draft Haul

With selections like Marlin Klein in round two, or Febechi Nwaiwu and Wade Woodaz in round four, all are clear examples of not putting much stock in the general consensus on the board, and simply taking guys that fit their own criteria––whether that be with their physical skillset, or mental makeup.

But the Texans weren't just stuck on taking their draft sleepers higher than expected. That can make a rookie class look really dicey, really fast. They also made a couple of aggressive pushes for premier names at their positions, like Rutledge and McDonald.

Rutledge & McDonald Also Get Thumbs Up

Both guys were clearly talented and slated to come off the board around their respective selections. Houston simply did what they needed to land both in slight trade-ups, another strategy well-acclaimed by those in league circles.

“I thought Houston did a really good job of maneuvering the draft board,” another exec said, via Sando. “Nick Caserio had a real good feel for how this thing was gonna play out in the way he moved. The consensus among teams I talked to was that Rutledge was really highly thought of, and I think Kayden McDonald was coveted by other teams as well.”

Each of Rutledge and McDonald also fit the Texans' needs headed into this draft nearly perfectly.

Rutledge can be instant competition to start on the interior of Houston's offensive line at either left guard or center, while McDonald plugs up the other defensive tackle spot next to Sheldon Rankins to really steady their defensive line, both inside and out.

That approach also tended to get some rave reviews from league executives, adding even more positive feelings around how the Texans fared in all seven rounds, but especially for their first two picks.

“I love what they did in the trenches,” another NFL exec said. “Rutledge is great. He is one of my favorite interior guys in the draft.”

If the comments from those sitting in an executive chair are a sign of anything, the Texans might've walked out of this draft as big winners. But only time will tell how those strong selections on paper will turn out on the field.