Could Texans DL Tommy Togiai see his rep count diminish? ESPN thinks so

This time last season, few people knew of Houston Texans defensive tackle Tommy Togiai, the once-talented Ohio State lineman who began his tenure on the practice squad.

Fast forward six months and Togiai had become a fan favorite and standout at defensive tackle for the league's No. 1 defense opposite Sheldon Rankins.

But with the arrival of a newcomer on the defensive line, will Togiai role be diminished back to only a rotational option?

ESPN's Ben Solak recently wrote that while Togiai, who recorded a scoop-and-score on the final play of the regular season, should enter training camp as the No. 2 defensive tackle, the arrival of a fellow Buckeye via the draft might shift him back down the line and into the "first guy off the bench."

"Togiai was a spark for the Texans' defense in 2025. He earned his spot in the rotation over Tim Settle and Mario Edwards Jr., and when both were lost for the season (foot and pectoral injuries, respectively), he took on an increased workload with aplomb," Solak wrote. "NFL Next Gen Stats had Togiai's 9.7% stop rate -- that's a tackle which ends in negative EPA for the opposing offense -- as the highest among all defensive tackles last season. He was valuable, and I'm confident the Texans felt OK entering next season with Togiai and Sheldon Rankins as their starters, with perhaps a Round 3 or 4 rookie fighting for snaps behind them."

Enter Kayden McDonald, the Ohio State defensive tackle and top-ranked prospect in Round 2. Houston made sure to leave the draft with the star defender as a foundational piece for ' defense entering 2026 and a retool of the future, espcially since he's still growing into his role as a pass-rushing specialist.