Following the acquisition of Stefon Diggs last offseason, the Texans’ wide receiver trio of Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Diggs was primed to be the best in the league, at least on paper. The high hopes for the Texans’ passing game never materialized in 2024, as injuries, poor protection, and passing inefficiency all played a part in the letdown. Fast forward to a year later, and the only one of the three WRs who is a lock to suit up for Houston in 2025 is Collins.

Despite failing to meet expectations last season, the Texans still made it to the AFC Conference Semifinals. In order to retool their receiving corps in a hurry, Houston acquired multiple role players at the start of the offseason. However, the biggest additions came in the draft, as the Texans added two Iowa State standout WRs, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, on Day 2 of the draft.

After joining a team that is looking to join the AFC’s elite next season, will both rookies be able to play meaningful roles for Houston in 2025?

Jayden Higgins’ NFL Comps

Higgins would have been a solid pick for the Texans at their original draft slot of 25th overall. Following a trade with the Giants, the Texans were still able to get their guy at pick 34 while also picking up the 99th overall pick in the process.

After spending two seasons at Eastern Kentucky, Higgins transferred to Iowa State and formed a menacing WR duo with Noel for his final two years in college. Though Higgins was unable to eclipse a 30% receiving dominator rating (RDR) until his final college season, his marks of 25% in his final year at Eastern Kentucky and 28% in 2023 with the Cyclones were both still very solid.

Once Higgins arrived at Iowa State, he became a big play machine, achieving BOOM percentages of 37.3% in 2023 and 36.0% in 2024, which ranked among the best marks for NFL-level prospects over the past two seasons. As Higgins earned more opportunities in his senior season, he saw many of his per-route efficiency numbers take a hit, including his yards per route run dropping from 3.2 to 2.8, his yards after the catch per reception falling from 6.9 to 4.0, his evasion percentage (EVAS%) going from 22.6% to 16.1%, and his points earned per play slipping from an elite 0.116 down to a still respectable 0.067.

Higgins’ breakout senior season caught the eyes of scouts, and strong showings at the Senior Bowl and combine created even more buzz. As a size/speed mismatch, Higgins definitely made himself some money over the past few months in a weak WR class. Any concerns about Higgins’ athleticism were laid to rest at the combine with his 91st percentile freak score, as he pulled in some athletic comps to other big-bodied receivers known for their big-play abilities.

Once draft capital was accounted for, Higgins’ score of 75 in the WR Prospect Lab was the fourth highest in the class. The Box Score Scout also sees plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Higgins, with comps to some of the most physically dominant receivers of the past decade. However, the BSS also outlines the risk involved in Higgins’ profile, with plenty of players who were highly drafted largely due to their athleticism but failed to deliver as professionals.