- 15 minutes ago
Rookie offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge joins the show fresh off the practice field to discuss his first NFL training camp, his development, and expectations for the season.
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00:00And a man who is coming in, a very, very big guy sitting down at the table with us.
00:07The first pick for your Houston Texans this year in 2026.
00:10They call him Big Red. His name is Keelan Rutlers.
00:12What's happening, Keelan? How you living, brother?
00:14Hey, man, I'm great.
00:15You're looking.
00:16Yeah, appreciate it. Good to get out here on the grass, so it's been good.
00:19Hey, speaking of Big Red, this is apropos of nothing, but it's more of a regional soda, Big Red.
00:24You're familiar with it?
00:25I've heard about it. I heard about the Big Red gum, too.
00:28Yeah, Big Red gum.
00:29I might have had a stick of that before.
00:30Yeah, you've got to get some Big Red soda.
00:31It's more of a Texas thing, but they have it in the South, right?
00:35Yeah, absolutely.
00:35You've got to get you some Big Red.
00:37Yeah, for sure.
00:37Get an endorsement.
00:38No doubt.
00:39Call for it.
00:40The thing I'm wondering, Keelan, is have we gotten you some more clothes,
00:43or are you just going to walk around Texas gear?
00:45Like, what are we doing?
00:45Yeah, it's all Texas gear.
00:48You know, just a simple guy, so I don't need too much.
00:51I respect that.
00:52Obviously, the big thing with you that everybody is engaged with is,
00:55hey, man, you're a guard, you play at Georgia Tech,
00:58you're very good at it, and then you're drafted,
01:00and we're kind of all trying to put you in at center.
01:03For me, I remember Cooper Beebe being drafted out of Kansas State
01:06and him spending a whole bunch of time snapping.
01:08Even they were talking about snapping to his mom.
01:10What have you done in that off-season time,
01:12getting better at, like, the center portion of your responsibility?
01:17Oh, yeah, Lauren, he's probably caught, I don't know,
01:20150 snaps every single day just because that's muscle memory.
01:24Obviously, I, you know, did it a little bit at Tech here and there in practice.
01:27It's never done in a game.
01:27Did it a little bit at the senior bowl,
01:28but to have your hand on the ball full-time,
01:31obviously, to block these dudes, it's a little different.
01:32So you just need reps, and, I mean, I think, you know,
01:36I'm a football player.
01:37I didn't play offensive line, so I got a college show.
01:38I can play any position.
01:39You tell me to go out there, I'm going to give all my effort,
01:41and I'm going to figure it out.
01:42She have a good cadence?
01:43Oh, yeah, she knows all the cadences.
01:45I said, you've got to make it sound like CJ.
01:46How did she do in John Gruden's school?
01:48How would she do?
01:48Oh, she'll be all right.
01:50She knows all the calls.
01:51Yeah, I'm running through all my calls to her,
01:53so she knows, you know, she probably knows our base protection pretty good.
01:57Okay, so high school sweethearts, I believe, right?
01:59Yes, sir.
02:00And recently married?
02:01Yes, sir, last summer.
02:02But she didn't sign up for that, did she?
02:04She did.
02:07She did.
02:08She loves ball.
02:09She loves ball, so, man, she kind of comes from a household
02:12that they love football.
02:13Grew up Georgia fan, so, you know, not going to hold that against her?
02:17Yeah, I mean, try not to.
02:19But she's not a Georgia fan no more.
02:20She bleeds gold and white.
02:22But, I mean, she loves football, and she's all for it.
02:25You mentioned she's taking snaps.
02:26Under the center as well?
02:27Does she tape her fingers?
02:28No, no, we're not under the center.
02:31That's just, that's a little bit more, I'm not going to say it's easier,
02:35but that's, the shotgun snap is what you really struggle with when, you know,
02:38you're used to having your hand come up and use your right hand.
02:41Now you can't use your right hand for a second, so that's really what we focused on.
02:44Actually, I'm curious that you brought that up because for those of us on the
02:48outside looking in, guard and center, they're right next to each other.
02:50Like, how different can they be?
02:52Can you tell me in your experience early on,
02:54what are the differences between playing guard and playing CNFL?
02:57Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of differences.
02:59The good thing about how we, you know, try to do our offensive line
03:02and how Coach Pop's doing a good job of kind of everything he wants to marry it the same,
03:06the techniques, so a lot of that's very similar.
03:08But, I mean, just with you having your hand on the ball, you're in front of everybody,
03:12so you don't have as much leeway, so you're on the guy now.
03:14So you have to work about getting depth.
03:16Obviously, you're a square stance, not a stagger.
03:18And then, like we talked about, you know, you're starting to block with one hand all the time,
03:22especially when you've got a guy, you know, a lot of these teams are smart.
03:24They want the nose to be over the snap hand and getting back on third downs,
03:29being able to get comfortable with that is, like, it's hard.
03:31You know, when you're going left more so, you're setting left a little easier
03:34because you get to focus on the snap.
03:35When you're going right, it's like, hey, you've got to really lock in on it
03:38because you need that right hand.
03:39And that's just reps.
03:40And, I mean, there's little differences by the end of the day.
03:42Like I said, it's football, how physical you're going to be, how tough you're going to be,
03:45you're going to know your assignment, all that stuff is what will separate you.
03:48So you've been obviously very good at what you do for a long time,
03:51all the way through college into Georgia Tech, you know, at the Senior Bowl camp,
03:56all that.
03:56You've been very good.
03:57You're a confident guy.
03:59But I always get, it tickles me talking to linemen going from college to pro.
04:05There is a moment that inevitably I've talked to guys for four decades that say,
04:10you know what, there was this one play where I realized I can do this.
04:14Because there's always a little bit in the back of your mind like, okay, now it's the NFL.
04:19Have you had that moment?
04:20Yeah, I mean, I've had a few of those moments.
04:22OTAs was early because, I mean, you're not going as physical,
04:24but there's some physical moments and just climbing to some linebackers feeling that
04:28or getting movement on a three-tech, you're like, yeah, it's football.
04:31Like the guys are better.
04:32You definitely, there's reps where, you know, in college I look at it like,
04:37even your rep ain't bad.
04:38You can have some bad reps at this level.
04:40So I think that's the adjustment and just bouncing back from those,
04:43being like, all right, it's going to happen.
04:44Like that guy across from me is a really good football player.
04:46What are you going to do the next play?
04:47But, I mean, there's definitely a lot of moments in OTAs.
04:50And as we put the pads on and really played football,
04:52you get some moments where you're like, yeah, I can do this.
04:54And be very dominant at it.
04:56And I have a feeling that you don't struggle for confidence.
04:58You don't seem like that.
04:59Like you're out here pushing up on Aziz.
05:01You're getting physical with all these guys.
05:03Like where does that come from?
05:04Where does, is it just, is it just, you know, rural Georgia being that?
05:07Like where does that energy and that confidence come from for you?
05:10Yeah, I mean, I think I just kind of,
05:11I play with the game with a certain kind of swagger in my own way.
05:14Just, I mean, I like to impose my will.
05:17Like I like to go punch somebody in the face.
05:18I mean, that's truly what I truly like to do.
05:21So I think when you kind of, you want to do that every play,
05:24like there's a sense of confidence.
05:25Like I'm the baddest dude on the field.
05:27Every time I step on the grass is how I feel.
05:28So I think that's just kind of how I've always played.
05:30I've always wanted to be a competitor.
05:32Always talked a little junk.
05:33Always kind of played to the heck of the whistle.
05:34So that's just who I am.
05:35So that's who I'll always be.
05:36Not trying to get you in trouble,
05:37but how literal when you talk about punching someone in the face?
05:40Because I've thought about it,
05:41like who on the team would I want to go into a bar fight with?
05:44And you're high up on the power.
05:46Have you had any instances where you had to, you know,
05:48throw someone out the club or something?
05:50No, I mean, you know, I was a knucklehead kid growing up.
05:53I've definitely gotten a fair, fair, fair share of my fights.
05:55But as you've grown up, as you've matured, you know, you can't do that.
05:58But that's why God blessed me with ability.
06:00So I'm out here to play football so I can do it legally.
06:02So it's great.
06:03There you go.
06:03How long would it take you to kick my ass?
06:06I wouldn't want to.
06:07Look at that.
06:08Good answer.
06:09I like it.
06:10I am a cool guy.
06:12But you went up against Daniil Hunter yesterday.
06:15Yeah.
06:16I mean, for sure.
06:16What were you thinking?
06:18It's football.
06:19You know, we believe the same kind of blood.
06:22He puts on his shoes just like I do.
06:23So, I mean, there's nothing to it.
06:24Well, I want to get to that more as a topic here, as a question.
06:27Because you have been described as feisty.
06:29You've been doing that.
06:30You just said yourself, I'm the baddest man on the field.
06:33How much better does that make you?
06:34I think it makes you completely.
06:36But when you have that certain kind of confidence, like there's – I'm not sitting here and saying I've figured
06:39it out.
06:39Right.
06:40Because today, got my tail whooped one play.
06:42Like, that's going to happen.
06:43But I think that sense of confidence, like, I know I can do this.
06:46And even when I get punched in the face, I'm going to punch you back.
06:48I think that's just the kind of – I don't even know how to describe it.
06:51It's just in there.
06:52It's innately in there.
06:53So I think that's – you know.
06:54You talk about that.
06:56I'm very curious.
06:57Because obviously you're comfortable, but you also are comfortable with the idea that I don't know everything.
07:01When questions come up for you, who are you talking to?
07:04Is it the guys that are next to you?
07:06Are you sending texts or making sure that you catch them after – like, how are you asking those questions?
07:09And who are you going to for insight?
07:11Oh, I'll go to any vet.
07:12Anybody that's played a snap in the National Football League, I'm willing to take it all.
07:16Because I haven't played a snap, like, doing stuff on the grass out here, like, it's great.
07:20And I think – I truly believe how you practice is how you play.
07:22But I haven't done anything.
07:23So it's like I'm talking to Wyatt all the time, Jake all the time, Ed all the time.
07:27Trent's been playing in the NFL for a long time, a lot of different places.
07:30So there's so much technique stuff.
07:32He can get away with a lot more stuff than we can, for sure, because that's a different individual.
07:36But, you know, you're picking up from all these guys, man.
07:39And I'm willing to soak up anything anybody has to say.
07:41I saw you talking with Aziz.
07:43Oh, yeah.
07:43What was that like?
07:45You don't have to give us all the details, but that had to be something that, you know, kind of
07:48helped.
07:48Yeah, I just think, you know, similar how we were, you know, brought up, kind of cut from the same
07:55cloth.
07:55He started at FAU.
07:56I started at Middleton.
07:57We both kind of played with that chippy mindset, like that underdog kind of mentality,
08:02and just kind of picking his brain about all sorts of stuff.
08:04And he's been a great – since I came in the building, he's been really, really good.
08:07Best piece of advice on the field and off the field that you've gotten to this point?
08:12You know, best piece of advice on the field, I'm still trying to work on it, is how to be
08:15a pro.
08:16I think that comes with kind of how I got here, I have to keep.
08:20But, you know, there's a certain – you play 17 games in the NFL, and we're going to play a
08:24lot more than 17.
08:25And I think taking care of your teammates and, you know, being that so-called prick, but also having a
08:31line,
08:32I think that's what I've learned.
08:35And then – what was the other question?
08:36Best advice off the field.
08:41I've talked to Wyatt just about, you know, navigating, like, obviously he's married and kids and stuff like that.
08:46Like, not kids yet, none of that, but just, you know, married to my wife, and one day I'll be
08:51a family man.
08:51So just talking about stuff like that, you hear him, Jake, all the guys that have that, you kind of
08:55pick up on advice for that too.
08:56Very good.
08:57You come in, and I'm sure you know the assignment, as the kids like to say.
09:01This offensive line needed help.
09:02They went and got you nastier.
09:06They wanted that from you.
09:08And one of the things in the pre-draft that Reggie and I were talking about before you were even
09:12drafted, we talked about you a little bit.
09:14The way you go downfield, the way – it's not always normal.
09:18I mean, that nastiest and knowing the assignment, how important is that for you to bring, even as a rookie,
09:24to this line?
09:25Yeah, I mean, I think that's critical because, like, you've got to take care of the bigs first, and that's
09:29the most important thing.
09:30But getting up on the second level, that's how you spring big ones.
09:33That's how it's not three and four yards and it's 12, 13, and then 12, 13 turns to 5, 13,
09:38and you're an explosive offense then.
09:40So I think, obviously – and also knowing how those backers are going to play.
09:43Like, a lot of guys are athletic, but they can't play at the second level because they don't know how
09:46to marry up their feet.
09:47I give that to kind of my basketball upbringing, like, closing out.
09:50Like, when you're switching to a two-man, you've got to close out from playing center.
09:54Like, you've got to get your feet hot.
09:55So I think being able to adjust that and then go, I think that's a lot of things that offensive
09:59linemen –
09:59like, people take for granted an offensive lineman, but can make you a really good second-level blocker.
10:03You mentioned basketball.
10:04You played a little quarterback too, didn't you?
10:05Just a couple plays, not too much.
10:08Didn't play offensive line until I got to college.
10:09So growing up in rec ball, played some quarterback, played some tight end, running back, did it all.
10:13And basketball to me, and we've talked about this, so important for offensive linemen.
10:18Oh, yeah.
10:18How has that helped you?
10:19Oh, shoot.
10:20It's helped me so much just because being able to mirror.
10:23And, you know, not to toot my own horn, but being a more athletic guy interior-wise,
10:27being able to slide side-to-side, pull, move, like, all that stuff, man, like, that's contributed to basketball
10:32because a lot of guys want to see wrestlers, and wrestlers are great.
10:35They give you that leverage and that finish mentality.
10:37I didn't really need that.
10:38That's already in me.
10:39God bless me that I just kind of competitor I am.
10:42So the basketball helped me on that side to be a better athlete when I already have that.
10:45I want to talk about your coach because every time we hear about Cole Popovich, you love him.
10:49But, I mean, Brent Key, Brent Key is one of those guys that is well-respected around the college game
10:54as an offensive line guy.
10:56How does Cole Popovich compare to Brent Key in any way, or am I stretching too far there?
11:01You're there.
11:03Very, very, very similar in a lot of ways.
11:06Different personality-wise.
11:08Key will pop a busted smile here and there, but Key will joke around with you a little bit more.
11:14But, I mean, in terms of football, it's all ball.
11:17It's all business.
11:18We want it done a certain way, and it's got to be done that certain way.
11:21And it's not like it's just, you know, my way or the highway.
11:24Like, it's just like it works.
11:26It works.
11:26What he's teaching works.
11:28And all five guys being able to play through the same set of eyes,
11:31the same stuff we did at Georgia Tech,
11:32and that's the reason why we were very, very good in the trenches
11:35and being able to run the ball and pass protect and stuff like that.
11:37So very, very similar.
11:38I'm guessing you fall in line with most offensive linemen,
11:41rather run block than pass block?
11:44Well, that's a tough question because you win football games and third down a lot.
11:48But, yeah, I mean, you'd much rather punch somebody in the face for, you know,
11:5260 plays than drop back and protect, for sure.
11:53But, I mean, being able to protect the quarterback is paramount in this league.
11:58Like, you've got to block DeNeal Hunter and Will Anderson when they're spiking.
12:01Like, if you can't block them, like, but if you set up the run,
12:04then you can alleviate some of that.
12:06So much rather run block, but they're both very important.
12:07By the way, we've got a text line where people are texting in,
12:10and they're all like, I want to run through a wall.
12:12You've got to do that.
12:12Like, the physicality, the nasty that you've got, like, it shows through.
12:15But one of the things I kept trying to tell people is,
12:18hey, man, you go to Georgia Tech, you've got to be smart, right?
12:20Like, one of the things I've said about your ability to transition to centers,
12:22he went to Georgia Tech, he don't figure it out.
12:24Was I doing too much there?
12:25It really was a tough academic substance, right?
12:29I mean, any – I didn't have the – I wasn't no mechanical engineer like that.
12:32But you got your degree in three years.
12:33But I got a degree from Georgia Tech, and, yeah, I think what you said, man,
12:37figure it out, that's what you've got to do at Georgia Tech, on and off the field.
12:41Just being able to figure it out, like, put in that extra work,
12:44really honestly have to study.
12:46Like, you can't just – you know, a lot of places you just, you know, do this, do that.
12:50Like, you'll get a grade.
12:51You actually have to study.
12:52You've got to actually put work into it, and, yeah, I'm not going to sit here
12:56and act like I'm the smartest guy to figure it out, like you said.
12:59I love it.
12:59All right, one thing I want to give you an opportunity to do.
13:01You've done a little bit of media.
13:03I'm not trying to seem like you're not experienced,
13:05but is there a question that you have for us guys that get to do a little media in this
13:09way?
13:10That's a good question.
13:11Kind of threw me on the spot.
13:12Yeah.
13:13Question y'all guys got.
13:14For me?
13:15Yeah.
13:16Man.
13:17I guess you guys have my favorite food.
13:19I don't know.
13:19Okay, what do you like eating?
13:20Because, you know, Houston's a great food city.
13:22Mexican food?
13:22You into Tex-Mex yet?
13:23Tex-Mex.
13:23Oh, you're in the right place.
13:25Tex-Mex.
13:25Have you gone anywhere that's been fun?
13:27Oh, I've been to a lot of places.
13:29Lupe.
13:30There's one little hole in the wall spot, and I'm blanking on the name, of course,
13:33when I ask you that question.
13:34Where is it?
13:35I know them all.
13:35You can just say that you're gatekeeping.
13:36That's fine.
13:37No, no, no, no, no.
13:38Everybody needs to go to El Tiempo.
13:40El Tiempo.
13:41El Tiempo.
13:42El Tiempo.
13:42Legit.
13:42I think that's the one.
13:43Legit.
13:44Loved it.
13:44And there was another spot, too.
13:46Went there once with Aiden, Fisher, and Marlon.
13:49Wonderful.
13:50Wonderful.
13:50Loved Tex-Mex.
13:51Loved barbecue.
13:52I'm in the right spot for sure.
13:53You really are.
13:53You really are.
13:54I've got to ask you one more because you mentioned.
13:55And real quick, before you do that, you're listening to KLT, AM, KLT, FM, HD2, Houston,
13:59and Austin Sports Station.
14:00Yes.
14:02So, you talk about your background and Aziz's background, and I think I know that you spent
14:08a lot of time at the Boys and Girls Club, and then you do an event recently with the
14:12Boys and Girls Club.
14:14How does that form what you are, growing up where you have, it's tough.
14:18Yeah.
14:19It shaped everything in me.
14:20I mean, just the mentality-wise, I didn't grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth.
14:25It was me, my mom, my whole life, bouncing around place to place, living with anybody that
14:29would give us a roof over our head.
14:30So, I think that kind of desire, that drive, I put it all into sports, all into sports.
14:35And that's all I had.
14:35That was the outlook for my life.
14:37That's kind of, you know, for good and bad, because there was a lot of bad moments when
14:41you put everything, all your eggs in one basket.
14:43You know, like I've learned and matured, you've got to have other things, which, you know,
14:47Lauren has been great for me for that.
14:48But I think that's the reason why I'm here today.
14:50I wouldn't trade it for the world.
14:52I mean, your wife also, crucial in helping you get over what was a tragic accident.
14:56I mean, like, it seems like you've got all the things in the world that you've overcome.
15:00Switching to center can't be too hard, can it?
15:02It's just, there's a lot of stuff I've been through in my life that are a lot, lot harder
15:06than playing, you know, the position with the ball in your hand.
15:08Yeah.
15:09No reason to feel sorry for yourself now.
15:10No doubt.
15:10No doubt.
15:11Hey, man, appreciate it.
15:12Yes, sir.
15:12Very much so.
15:13He is, Big Red.
15:14Do you like it when people call you Big Red or Keelan hits you?
15:17So we have an equipment manager, Tyler.
15:19He's Big Red.
15:20So I've kind of gave him the Big Red.
15:22He's the Big Red.
15:23I'm Big Rut, Rut, Red, anything they want to call me.
15:26There's a lot of redheads.
15:27There's a lot of them.
15:28I'm not a particular.
15:29You can call me anything.
15:31As long as we're talking about you, I imagine you can call you anything.
15:34All right, Keelan, we appreciate you sitting down with us.
15:36It's been great.
15:38He's the guy that you're going to see on your Sundays with the Houston Texans.
15:41Appreciate you, brother.
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