Texans Defensive Tackles

Our IDL was very good in 25'. I anticipate that to be true in 26'. In looking at the possibility of drafting IDL, do you believe in drafting huge linemen that can't be pushed off the line but who are less of a threat to sack the QB on passing downs? Or does it depend in part on the quality of the team's DE's?

The reason I ask is that I like doing mock drafts. One guy who is continually there for us for the 28th overall pick is Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald. He's basically an immovable mountain at 6'3, 326 pounds. And while he moves better than one might think by looking at him, he's not a pass-rushing specialist. Another DT often available to us in mocks is similarly ranked DL Caleb Banks out of Florida, who is 6'6, 330 pounds but carries his weight a bit differently than McDonald and isn't perhaps as stout against the run but is a bit more explosive at getting to the QB.

So my question is which style of DT do you believe is best for us, the immovable mountain or the guy who's more adept at getting to the QB?

Kayden McDonald summary:

McDonald has that rare ability to completely erase an offense's interior running game - the kind of immovable force that makes offensive coordinators abandon their game plan by the second quarter. Watch him against Washington and you'll see a man playing like he's got roots growing into the turf, absorbing double teams while barely giving ground. There's something beautiful about watching him cave in the A-gaps and leave running backs with nowhere to go but sideways into pursuit. His film shows a defender who doesn't just occupy blockers - he dominates them, controls them, and discards them when he's ready to make the tackle.

The modern NFL might be obsessed with pass rushers, but teams that win in January understand you need someone who can shut down the run when everyone in the stadium knows it's coming. McDonald brings that old-school mentality wrapped in new-school athleticism. He's the guy who makes those critical third-and-short stops that don't show up on highlight reels but swing playoff games. While his pass rush needs refinement, his ability to push the pocket backward from the nose creates the kind of interior pressure that makes edge rushers look like superstars.

This is a late first-round talent whose elite run defense alone justifies the investment for teams building championship-caliber defenses. Picture him next to established pass rushers, eating up blocks while they feast on one-on-ones - that's how defensive coordinators draw it up in their dreams. The team that lands McDonald is getting a foundational piece who immediately transforms their run defense and has enough athletic upside to develop into a three-down player. His combination of proven production against elite competition, exceptional run-stopping metrics, and room for growth in the passing game makes him exactly the type of prospect smart teams target at the back end of round one.

Caleb Banks summary:

The tape tells a story of tantalizing flashes undermined by technical inconsistencies. When Banks gets loose in the backfield, he moves with shocking fluidity for a 325-pounder, collapsing pockets and disrupting timing. Yet those moments of brilliance remain intermittent rather than the norm. His high-end pass rush production exceeds his run defense effectiveness - a curious dynamic for someone with his mass that signals both his unusual athletic profile and his incomplete development.

The difference between what Banks is and what he could become remains the most intriguing aspect of his evaluation. His first-step quickness creates immediate leverage advantages that too often go unexploited due to underdeveloped hand technique and counter moves. The ability to line up anywhere from nose tackle to defensive end gives him scheme versatility, though his tackling limitations currently prevent him from being a true three-down force. When fatigue sets in, his technical flaws become more pronounced as he reverts to simply trying to overwhelm blockers with size rather than technique.

Banks has the physical tools to develop into a difference-maker at the next level, particularly as an interior pass rusher where his length and lateral agility create matchup problems. His senior season will be pivotal - he must show increased consistency against double teams and more refined counters when his initial rush stalls. The flashes have been bright enough to warrant serious consideration, but turning those glimpses into sustained production remains the challenge that will ultimately determine his draft position. Teams will need to decide whether they're drafting the player he is or the one he could become.