Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio appears to have found his sweet spot in terms of trades, swinging his second of the cycle on his second pass in the 2026 draft.
Once again, Caserio and the Texans are jumping up two spots.
They moved from 28th to 26th overall in Round 1, coming away with Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge at guard. In Round 2, Caserio and the Texans moved up two spots again, this time with the Las Vegas Raiders and taking 2024 national champion Kayden McDonald.
Texans Trade With Raiders to Select Kayden McDonald
GettyKayden McDonald #98 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in action against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
The Raiders announced the details of their trade with the Texans, which yielded McDonald for Houston.
Texans get:
- 2026 second-round pick (No. 36 overall)
- 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 117 overall)
Raiders get:
- 2026 second-round pick (No. 38 overall)
- 2026 third-round pick (No. 91 overall)
The Texans still have another second-round pick, 59th overall. However, barring another trade from Caserio and Co., they are now done for Day 2 of the draft. Their next selection is in Round 4 at No. 106 overall.
However, Caserio and the Texans can say they got their guys with conviction after their trades.
Kayden McDonald Sends Strong Message After Draft Slide
GettyKayden McDonald #98 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on before the game against the Washington Huskies.
“In my mock draft, I had DT Kayden McDonald going No. 28 in first round to Houston,” The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson posted on X on April 24. “Texans get him at No. 36 in second. And now he teams with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson. Bo Nix no doubt happy that Texans aren’t on #Broncos 2026 regular-season schedule.”
An emotional McDondald took to the stage in Pittsburgh, having spent the entire evening in the green room, watching one player after the other go ahead of him, before the Texans finally ended his slide.
“It’s emotional, man. Just, I know I’m supposed to be here. And I’m just so blessed, I’m just so thankful. I’m just so emotional. Where I came from, now I’m here is a blessing,” McDonald said.
“Disrupt and make it easier for the D-ends, and we all go together. We gonna work, I’m ready.”
Texans Find Long-Term Solution in Middle of Defense
GettyKayden McDonald of the Ohio State Buckeyes participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
The Texans boast one of the NFL’s best secondaries and pass rushes, while their linebackers are active too.
If there was a weak spot, it could be the defensive tackle group, led by Sheldon Rankins and including Tommy Togiai and newcomer Logan Hall. Even with them, the Texans lacked someone of McDonald’s stature.
The Ringer’s Todd McShay ranked the 6-foot-2, 326-pounder as his DT1 in the class.
“McDonald is a day-one starter with Pro Bowl potential, and Kenny Clark is an interesting comp,” McShay wrote in his pre-draft profile. “Their frames are different, but both get off blocks and make plays despite having short arms. Clark had 75 tackles and 11 TFL in his final year at UCLA.”
The Texans ranked fourth in the league against the run during the regular season in 2025 and figure to be even better in that regard with McDonald plugging up the middle of the defense.
After the Texans showed interest in him during the pre-draft process, the fit was undeniable.
Texans Swing Draft Trade With Las Vegas Raiders for Kayden McDonald