HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans selected Georgia Tech offensive guard Keylan Rutledge with the 26th overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.
Houston traded up from pick No. 28 with Buffalo to get him.
“He’s a player I think the whole building collectively felt strongly about,” general manager Nick Caserio said.
He started all 13 games at right guard last season and did not allow a sack. He allowed just six hurries in 872 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
He was named third team All-American by The Associated Press and was a first team All ACC selection by the league and The AP.
“The things that stand out about him — toughness, violence, physicality, playing style, his intelligence,” Caserio said. “Basically the guy wants to step on your throat on every play, which I would say sort of embodies what our football team is about, the way we play.”
Rutledge was part of an offensive line that helped the Yellow Jackets rank in the top 25 nationally in rushing offense and top five in fewest sacks allowed.
He could boost an offensive line that has struggled in the interior. They have veterans Wyatt Teller and Ed Ingram at the guard positions, but Rutledge could provide a more long-term solution. Caserio believes his physical style of play will help improve the team's running game after their offseason trade for running back David Montgomery.
Though Rutledge spent most of his time in college at right guard, he said he's comfortable playing both guard spots and center, and he's ready to fight for a spot in the starting lineup this season.
“I’m a competitor,” he said. “I’m going to come in and compete. That’s what got me here.”
It’s the first time the Texans have taken a player in the first round since drafting quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. with the second and third picks in 2023.
Rutledge began his career at Middle Tennessee before transferring to Georgia Tech after two seasons.
Rutledge's career was derailed because of a serious foot injury he sustained in a car accident in Dec. 2023. The injury led to a bone infection and kept him out of all offseason workouts and spring practice before his junior season.
“When it happened, it could have been a lot worse,” he said. “It was a process ... (but) I battled back and found a way to get back out there.”
Caserio said his rise from Middle Tennessee to Georgia Tech and what he went through to fight back from his injury are emblematic of who he is as a person.
“He’s a really great kid,” Caserio said. “He cares a lot about football, and he’s overcome some things.”
Rutledge is looking forward to playing with Stroud and a Texans team that is still searching for its first trip to the Super Bowl in what will be its 25th season.
“I want to do anything to keep that guy upright, keep him protected,” Rutledge said.
Along with the 28th selection, the Texans sent picks No. 69 and 167 to the Bills in exchange for the 26th pick and the 91st selection.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge (44) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, on March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 24, 2026--
Omdia has significantly raised its semiconductor revenue forecast for 2026 to 62.7%, again reflecting unprecedented growth in DRAM and NAND driven by sustained demand and ongoing supply shortages expected to persist through the year. The DRAM market is forecast to nearly double in value, while the smaller NAND segment could quadruple compared to 2025.
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Supply constraints in conventional memory IC supply are being exacerbated by the industry’s focus upon High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) production, which delivers lower volumes but commands significantly higher prices. Strong enterprise and data center demand will continue to shape the 2026 market outlook, with meaningful supply relief unlikely until well into 2027.
Enterprises are implementing a major server refresh cycle in 2026, coinciding with exceptional levels of hyperscaler capital expenditure. Organizations are accelerating the retirement of legacy hardware to support more demanding workloads, creating a significant market opportunity given the scale of installed systems. At the same time, there is a clear shift toward higher-value system designs built on next-generation silicon and advanced connectivity. This trend combined with the ongoing components shortage will push average selling prices upward.
Computing and data storage will lead all segments in semiconductor revenue growth, rising 90% year-on-year in 2026 to exceed $700bn. This is due to strong demand for data center servers and other memory–intensive applications, alongside elevated memory IC pricing.
As previously reported, consumer electronics and wireless applications also present a positive outlook for semiconductor revenue growth in 2026. While smartphone unit shipments are expected to remain relatively flat, semiconductor revenues will increase due to higher memory pricing, significantly raising overall bill of materials (BOM) costs. The market will see multiple flagship launches in addition to the usual model updates. This will include a range of a new wave of foldables, and feature-rich models incorporating AI-enabled capabilities such as advanced photography. Meanwhile, smart watches and fitness and wellness wearables are also projected to deliver meaningful revenue growth.
Looking Ahead
“Supporting the progression of AI beyond simple Q&A use cases has exponentially increased demand for memory and processing ICs, fueling semiconductor industry revenues overall,” said Myson Robles-Bruce, Senior Principal Analyst at Omdia. ”However, questions remain around how quickly suppliers can scale capacity and output of supply, and longer term, which applications will generate sufficient return on investment to justify the current levels of capital expenditure in AI.”
Aside from the macroeconomic pressures, such as tariffs, energy costs, and geopolitical tensions, the industry also faces risks associated with the amount of capital being allocated to AI infrastructure. Current semiconductor revenue growth is being driven primarily by higher average selling prices rather than unit shipment volumes. While similar dynamics have been observed in past cycles such as crypto mining and previous memory super cycles, the scale and breadth across the industry are unprecedented.
Omdia will continue to monitor market developments over the coming quarters and refine its 2026 baseline forecast accordingly.
ABOUT OMDIA
Omdia, part of TechTarget, Inc. d/b/a Informa TechTarget (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, make our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.
Greatest market contributors to semiconductor revenue growth in 2026
