Keylan Rutledge loves ‘All ball, no nonsense’ approach with Houston Texans

Keylan Rutledge didn’t waste any time settling in with the Houston Texans at rookie minicamp last weekend.

“As an offensive lineman, you want to put pads on, right?” said Rutledge, who was selected by Houston with the 26th pick in the first round of the NFL draft last month.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans joked about how he had to put the brakes on Rutledge, because he wanted to put pads on the first day, the Houston Chronicle reported.

“That’s what you’ll notice about the draft class when you talk to them,” Ryans said. “It’s built on really high character guys, starting with Rutledge. A really great guy, loves football.”

Still, Rutledge notes, there will be a transition ahead.

“Obviously, you get out there and there’s so much technique I’ve got to learn,” Rutledge said, “so much I’ve got to catch up on, I’m going to continue to do that.”

Rutledge is confident he’s paired with the ideal offensive line coach in Cole Popovich, who is also the Texans’ run game coordinator.

“All ball, no nonsense kind of guy, just the way I like it,” said Rutledge, who became revered for his toughness with the Yellow Jackets.

“I want him to coach me hard, hold me accountable, and we’re going to work together to go win some football games.”

Rutledge, for all his power and grit, knows he’ll need to adjust his game to be effective in the NFL, whether he’s playing center or guard.

“Certain coaches want it a certain way; that’s probably the biggest adjustment, to do it the Houston Texans way … ,” Rutledge said after the team’s first practice. “In college, you can get your hands up high, and you’re probably bigger and stronger, and you can get the job done.

“In this league, you get your hands high, you’re going to get put on your back. That’s the biggest adjustment.”