May 8, 2026 • 5 mins
The A-Team’s Adam Clanton and Adam Wexler share key insight from Friday’s Texans rookie minicamp. Rookie defensive tackle Kayden McDonald drew plenty of attention after outlining lofty goals for the season, including winning Rookie of the Year, being first-team All-Pro, and helping bring a Super Bowl title to Houston. Listen to the full audio breakdown for more takeaways from minicamp.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Was over there today got a chance to see who
they actually brought in beyond their rookies. They announced their
undrafted rookie signing class just before the practice began. They
also had eight players in on tryouts, which included both
a kicker and a long snapper, so they could again
use part of the field that nobody else was using.
Don't know that either one of them will be competing
(00:20):
for anything, but they easily could have made their way
into offseason practices. They also had two quarterbacks out there,
and we were wondering if Graham Mertz was going to
be one of them, as was he earlier this week
when I talked to him, he was not the two
quarterbacks out there. Clayton Tune mentioned that yesterday Aaron Wilson
had reported he was going to get a try out
with the Texans, and Ky Horton the other quarterback, a
(00:42):
six y four to six y five quarterback who last
was with Washington. Before that, he was quarterbacking Willie Fritz
team in Tulane, spent several seasons there with him, but
really didn't see a lot of college football playing time.
And I can't tell you what either one of them
looked like today because the time that we're out there,
basically all of you guys that are out here today,
(01:03):
Kate McDonald, Kyln Rutledge, everybody that's here.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
You guys are way behind.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
We are on the practice field today to teach you
what an NFL practice is going to be like. When
we go through the beginning of practice and we're going
through our position drills, you don't know what we're doing
until we teach it to you. And that's what they
were doing today, teaching them literally how to line up
for some of the defensive line drills. They were doing,
where to hold the pad when your friend on the
(01:30):
offensive line is running into you, and what his technique
needs to be. This is what they were doing with
all their players today. They were all separated into their
position groups. So almost the entire time that we were
out there for so you had the two tight ends
they had Marlon.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Klein being one of them.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
They were in their area working with the tight ends
coach new tight ends coach. You had three running backs
out there. One of them is a tryout player, Evan Hall.
The other two undrafted free agent signings Snow Whittington and
I think most people's favorite name out at Rookie Mini Camp.
Josh Pittsenberger he was out there as well, one of
(02:05):
the hopefuls at running back, and everybody else as described
in their positional groups. When we spoke to Jamiico, Ryans,
Caden McDonald, and Kielan Rutledge in that order, usual stuff
from Demiico. These guys are behind, they're all excited to
be here.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
You know.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Ran into a Fabechi Hua woo in the uh concourse
on our when we got out here today, big dude,
always smiling, gave me a hug. Thought he was gonna
knock me over. Didn't realize how strong it was. A
couple of media laughs followed. He just talked about, there
are the guys we thought we were getting. These guys
are eager to get out there. I want to see
(02:41):
these guys willing to and capable of learning.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
He said. It was pretty nice at their first meeting.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
All these guys, they've got their notebooks out, they're sitting
in the front row, their eyes are up, they're all attentive.
And he told them that. He told us, he told them,
you guys need to remember this. This is what it
should always be like. He should always want this and
I definitely want in return. Rutledge I thought was pretty
interesting when we asked him about Cole Popovich, his offensive
line coach.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
What's he like, what's it like working with him?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
And we were close enough to their workout we could
hear what was being said and how Cole's teaching them
and talking to them and working on their technique with
them here at the very very early stages of their
NFL practice time. And he said he's all ball, just
the way I like it, want to be coached hard
by him, and I'm sure it's going to be a
great match for them. And he also talked about how
well prepared he thinks he is because of being because
(03:29):
of where he was. He was at Georgia Tech, his
head coach was a former offensive lineman. And we've heard
from coach Key here on the station since that draft
pick was made, and again his guy, he was extremely
supportive and positive about what he could be here. I
think that may go without saying. And then when we
talked to Caden McDonald's, he was super complimentary about the
(03:51):
group he's working with, as in, I've got total belief
in whatever they're telling me to do. Along this multi
millionaire off offensive line. I got fifty million to my right,
I got forty million to my left. If I just
follow what they're doing, follow what's being taught, I'm in
a great spot. He really thought it was a good
place for him to be. His draft night was obviously
(04:12):
well chronicled because he was the last one in the
green room asked to stay by the commissioner for day two.
And I think we all saw why it meant so
much to him to have that conversation with Goodell and
then to have it payoff for the Texans to get him.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
I was on a thirty visit with the Texans.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Obviously liked the possibility that he would be here, and
when he got to day two, and knowing the Texans
had an early pick on day two, he thought even
more strongly that he may end up here. Certainly feels
like he's in a good spot, and to the work
of Will and Daniel on his side, he goes, I
want to go out there and make sure they're in
second and long and third and long, so Will and
Daniel and those guys can get after it. Also said
(04:49):
he wants to win a Super Bowl, be first team
All Pro and rookie of the year. In year one
he said, I've written them down. These are realistic goals
for that would be a lofty and amazing achievement. Sure, what,
don't think it's gonna happen a lot of confidence
Was over there today got a chance to see who
they actually brought in beyond their rookies. They announced their
undrafted rookie signing class just before the practice began. They
also had eight players in on tryouts, which included both
a kicker and a long snapper, so they could again
use part of the field that nobody else was using.
Don't know that either one of them will be competing
(00:20):
for anything, but they easily could have made their way
into offseason practices. They also had two quarterbacks out there,
and we were wondering if Graham Mertz was going to
be one of them, as was he earlier this week
when I talked to him, he was not the two
quarterbacks out there. Clayton Tune mentioned that yesterday Aaron Wilson
had reported he was going to get a try out
with the Texans, and Ky Horton the other quarterback, a
(00:42):
six y four to six y five quarterback who last
was with Washington. Before that, he was quarterbacking Willie Fritz
team in Tulane, spent several seasons there with him, but
really didn't see a lot of college football playing time.
And I can't tell you what either one of them
looked like today because the time that we're out there,
basically all of you guys that are out here today,
(01:03):
Kate McDonald, Kyln Rutledge, everybody that's here.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
You guys are way behind.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
We are on the practice field today to teach you
what an NFL practice is going to be like. When
we go through the beginning of practice and we're going
through our position drills, you don't know what we're doing
until we teach it to you. And that's what they
were doing today, teaching them literally how to line up
for some of the defensive line drills. They were doing,
where to hold the pad when your friend on the
(01:30):
offensive line is running into you, and what his technique
needs to be. This is what they were doing with
all their players today. They were all separated into their
position groups. So almost the entire time that we were
out there for so you had the two tight ends
they had Marlon.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Klein being one of them.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
They were in their area working with the tight ends
coach new tight ends coach. You had three running backs
out there. One of them is a tryout player, Evan Hall.
The other two undrafted free agent signings Snow Whittington and
I think most people's favorite name out at Rookie Mini Camp.
Josh Pittsenberger he was out there as well, one of
(02:05):
the hopefuls at running back, and everybody else as described
in their positional groups. When we spoke to Jamiico, Ryans,
Caden McDonald, and Kielan Rutledge in that order, usual stuff
from Demiico. These guys are behind, they're all excited to
be here.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
You know.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Ran into a Fabechi Hua woo in the uh concourse
on our when we got out here today, big dude,
always smiling, gave me a hug. Thought he was gonna
knock me over. Didn't realize how strong it was. A
couple of media laughs followed. He just talked about, there
are the guys we thought we were getting. These guys
are eager to get out there. I want to see
(02:41):
these guys willing to and capable of learning.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
He said. It was pretty nice at their first meeting.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
All these guys, they've got their notebooks out, they're sitting
in the front row, their eyes are up, they're all attentive.
And he told them that. He told us, he told them,
you guys need to remember this. This is what it
should always be like. He should always want this and
I definitely want in return. Rutledge I thought was pretty
interesting when we asked him about Cole Popovich, his offensive
line coach.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
What's he like, what's it like working with him?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
And we were close enough to their workout we could
hear what was being said and how Cole's teaching them
and talking to them and working on their technique with
them here at the very very early stages of their
NFL practice time. And he said he's all ball, just
the way I like it, want to be coached hard
by him, and I'm sure it's going to be a
great match for them. And he also talked about how
well prepared he thinks he is because of being because
(03:29):
of where he was. He was at Georgia Tech, his
head coach was a former offensive lineman. And we've heard
from coach Key here on the station since that draft
pick was made, and again his guy, he was extremely
supportive and positive about what he could be here. I
think that may go without saying. And then when we
talked to Caden McDonald's, he was super complimentary about the
(03:51):
group he's working with, as in, I've got total belief
in whatever they're telling me to do. Along this multi
millionaire off offensive line. I got fifty million to my right,
I got forty million to my left. If I just
follow what they're doing, follow what's being taught, I'm in
a great spot. He really thought it was a good
place for him to be. His draft night was obviously
(04:12):
well chronicled because he was the last one in the
green room asked to stay by the commissioner for day two.
And I think we all saw why it meant so
much to him to have that conversation with Goodell and
then to have it payoff for the Texans to get him.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
I was on a thirty visit with the Texans.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Obviously liked the possibility that he would be here, and
when he got to day two, and knowing the Texans
had an early pick on day two, he thought even
more strongly that he may end up here. Certainly feels
like he's in a good spot, and to the work
of Will and Daniel on his side, he goes, I
want to go out there and make sure they're in
second and long and third and long, so Will and
Daniel and those guys can get after it. Also said
(04:49):
he wants to win a Super Bowl, be first team
All Pro and rookie of the year. In year one
he said, I've written them down. These are realistic goals
for that would be a lofty and amazing achievement. Sure, what,
don't think it's gonna happen a lot of confidence
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