Texans send a clear message to the NFL of defensive plans with Kayden McDonald pick

"McDonald is a guy we all like," Ryans said. "Scouts, coaches, everybody, collective group, everybody liked the talent. Young player, but he's grown. He shows the strength in the run game. He shows the ability to get off blocks and finish. We're very excited to add a young defensive tackle to that room, and I know he'll flourish with the guys that he'll be learning from.”

Sitting at No. 38, the Texans knew they could be at risk of missing out on the Georgia native if they stood pat. After trading away Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals, the New York Giants at No. 37 seemed to have interest in upgrading their defensive tackle role, meaning if Houston was all in on McDonald, it would have to make a phone call.

As the Las Vegas Raiders overlooked their draft board, Houston came calling, offering not only its pick in Round 2, but also the third-round pick acquired in the Rutledge trade up Thursday night. The Texans once again were willing to move back over 20 spots — this time to No. 117 — just to move up by two and get their guy.

"You get a guy like Kayden who is not only just a big body, he is an explosive guy," Ryans said.

McDonald, who weighed in at the NFL combine at 326 pounds, will be the biggest defensive tackle Ryans has worked with full-time since coming over from San Francisco. Often leaning toward the lighter side of defensive linemen, the fourth-year coach noted that size can, at times, be a negative for the Texans' defense when trying to win battles in the trenches.

With McDonald's arrival, it might become the final piece to make Houston's defense historic.

"He has the twitch, and he is stout against the run," Ryans said. "That’s a bona fide defensive tackle who is going to impact our defense in a major way.”

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans: DeMeco Ryans praises playstyle of new DL Kayden McDonald