The Georgia Tech lineman will help protect CJ Stroud.
Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud will have a new protector next season, as the team acquired Keylan Rutledge on Thursday.
Entering Thursday night, the Houston Texans held the No. 28 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. But as the night unfolded, Houston moved up two spots to get its guy at No. 26 overall.
Regardless of whether a team is viewed as a contender or one still trying to improve key areas of its roster, the first round is always critical. This is usually where teams find star players, and in the NFL, those first-round selections are often counted on to make an impact much earlier than rookies in other sports. Because each class is filled with so much high-end football talent, these players are often expected to step into meaningful roles right away, and in some cases, they become some of the most important players on the team in Year 1.
On Thursday, the Texans ended up selecting Georgia Tech G Keylan Rutledge with their first-round pick, which now makes him the team’s top rookie heading into the 2026 NFL season. He’ll look to be the kind of player who can contribute immediately and help Houston continue taking steps forward. Obviously, the Texans spent a tremendous amount of time scouting this draft class and felt confident in the direction they went with this selection.
And as the offseason continues to unfold, we’ll be sure to break down this pick as well as every other move Houston makes over the next two days during all seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.