04/24/26 08:00:00
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04/24 19:58 CDT Kayden McDonald's long wait in the NFL draft green room ends
with tears and a new job in Houston
Kayden McDonald's long wait in the NFL draft green room ends with tears and a
new job in Houston
By WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) --- Kayden McDonald and Colton Hood spent three long hours in
the green room inside Acrisure Stadium on Thursday night all dressed up with
nowhere to go.
The players remained backstage while the 15 other NFL draft prospects in
attendance made their way to the stage to hug NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
after being selected in the first round.
McDonald and Hood's time would have to wait until Friday, though not for very
long.
The Houston Texans selected McDonald, the burly 6-foot-3, 326-pound defensive
tackle from Ohio State with the fourth pick of the second round. Hood, a
cornerback from Tennessee, went to the New York Giants with the next selection.
McDonald chose to return to the green room on Friday, though this time he had
traded the suit he had on Thursday while walking the red carpet for a far more
casual fit. Wearing a black short-sleeved button down shirt, a white T-shirt
and a chain, McDonald was visibly shaken as he made the slightly delayed talk
toward Goodell.
The commissioner and McDonald embraced for a long moment, the tears streaking
down McDonald's face hard to miss.
"It's emotional man," McDonald said. "I knew I'm supposed to be here. I'm just
so blessed."
McDonald added he's blessed to join the Texans, who finished last season with
the NFL's top-ranked defense and bludgeoned the Pittsburgh Steelers in the
opening round of the playoffs.
Asked what he can add to a unit that's already among the league's best,
McDonald didn't hesitate.
"Disruptive, making it easier for the (defensive) end," McDonald said. "We all
go to work."
While McDonald stuck around, Hood did not, opting to head home to Atlanta
instead, where Hood said he felt more comfortable because he could be
surrounded by even more friends and family.
When Hood's name was called by Goodell, who had former Giants star defensive
end Osi Umenyiora at his side, the videoboard behind them merely flashed a
picture of Hood wearing Tennessee orange.
"Way to go Colton," Goodell said before retreating backstage before the next
selection.
The distance between the epicenter of the NFL universe this weekend and Atlanta
did little to dampen the joy Hood felt when a lifelong dream was realized.
While sitting around on Thursday was disappointing, Hood doesn't view having to
wait an additional 24 hours as a bad thing.
"I know God does everything for a reason," he said. "He was probably preventing
me from something, or he has something better in store for me and that being
the Giants."
Hood admitted he was a little surprised he heard from New York. Maybe he
shouldn't have been. First-year Giants coach John Harbaugh coached Hood's
uncle, former NFL defensive back Roderick Hood, when both were in Philadelphia
in the early 2000s.
If anything, what happened on Thursday night just added a significantly large
chip to Hood's shoulder.
Asked if the perceived first-round snub is motivation, Hood said "for sure, but
I'd say it's more just wanting to prove the Giants right and just thanking them
for taking the chance on me."
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AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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