Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge is the newest Texan

Mar 1, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge (OL44) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Texans need to keep CJ Stroud upright, and they took a step toward that with No. 26, selecting Keylan Rutledge, offensive guard, Georgia Tech.

Here’s what you need to know.

Stats & Accolades

• 2022: (11 games played, 6 starts)

• 2023: (11 games played, 11 starts), First-Team All-CUSA

• 2024:  (13 games played, 13 starts), First-Team All-ACC

• 2025: (13 games played, 13 starts), First-Team All-American, First-Team All-ACC

What the Texans are getting:

A tough and rugged guard who proved his worth going from a mid-major program to Power 4 and finishing his career as a First-Team All-American. Rutledge is scheme-independent but would thrive best in a zone-blocking scheme where he can combo with his center and tackle to throw defenders out of the club. His strong upper body helps him displace interior defenders on the snap but he’ll need to sure up his body control to stay engaged and dominate longer from snap to snap.

Strengths

• Tight and polished double-team fundamentals when climbing to second level
• Strong punch ready to be delivered
• Shows knockback ability in both run game and pass pro to help pass stunts

Weakness

• Lacks ideal body control in space
• Inconsistent fundamentals tying feet and hands in the run game
• Struggles to recover when knocked off center of gravity by power