The Houston Texans made a rather unique choice during the 2025 draft. That decision, and others, had one rival executive speaking highly of C.J. Stroud’s outlook in Year 3 with the Texans.
A Pro Bowler in his rookie season, Stroud endured a down second campaign amid a slew of injuries and inconsistency around him.
This offseason, the Texans worked to prevent that in 2025, and the draft was a big key.
“They have Tank Dell coming off injury and lost Stefon Diggs,” an anonymous executive told The Athletic’s Mike Sando in comments published on May 1 but man, when Dell gets healthy, adding the receivers they got — (Jayden) Higgins, (Jaylin) Noel — to go with Nico Collins, wow, C.J. Stroud is going to have weapons galore.
“You don’t have physical enough corners to cover two 6-4 receivers.”
“The quarterback is going to have an 8- to 10-year relationship with those two Iowa State kids (Higgins and Noel), and I think he’s going to have a great year,” another executive told Sando. “Higgins can play outside the numbers in press coverage and win. The way he times his jumps, makes contested catches, wins on fade balls, jumps over guys, I love him. Noel is all business.”
Higgins caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2024. Noel posted an 80-1,194-8 line.
Texans GM Praises Rare Draft Duo
GettyHouston Texans WRs Jaylin Noel #13 and Jayden Higgins #9 joined rare company in NFL history.
The Texans’ selections of Higgins and Noel mark the first time a team has drafted a pair of wide receivers from the same school since the then St. Louis Rams took Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin in 2013, per Fantasy Index on May 1.
Texans GM Nick Caserio called both “complementary players” and said they were unsure they would be available.
Caserio said the decision to double-dip was more happenstance than any planning.
“Higgins, that was a player that we had identified that – we had the second pick in the second round there right away – and he was a player [with] good size, very productive. Eastern Kentucky transfer and then went to Iowa State. So he kind of leveled up a little bit, and he was really productive,” Caserio told Jim Rome on “The Jim Rome Show” on April 30.
“Jayden went down to the Senior Bowl as well. Performed there well. And he was one of those players, when we kind of had enough information, we put that one to bed and got the evaluation, then we kind of moved on to the next player.”
“Jaylin is a complementary-type player. I think, along with his offensive ability, also has returnability. So productive Punt returner, so two-time captain. So the fact that we ended up with both players, probably, is more coincidence than anything else,” Caserio said.
“[Noel]’s got some wheels. That’s for sure.”
Both players should help Stroud and the Texans’ offense to a bounceback campaign after an offseason of changes.
Texans Send Clear Message on C.J. Stroud
GettyTexans brass expects a bounce-back season from C.J. Stroud in 2025.
Higgins and Noel join a Texans pass-catching corps led by fellow wideouts Collins, with Stroud-favorite Dell returning from a devastating knee injury. The Texans also revamped their offensive line around Stroud.
Three of five positions project to have new starters in 2025. Additionally, Caserio said Stroud has had a “great offseason” as he learns new offensive coordinator Nick Caley’s scheme.
The Texans’ architect hoped it all pointed to an optimistic outlook from Stroud.
“C.J. cares a lot about winning. He’s had a great offseason. He’s been here, really, since February,” Caserio told Kay Adams on “Up & Adams” on April 30. “He wants to improve, and there’s going to be a certain learning curve associated with learning a new offense, with having Coach Caley here, and some of the things that go into that.
“I think he’s got the right mindset. He understands that we can all improve, and we can all get better, and this is what the offseason is for. So, hopefully, he’s excited about what’s in front of us.”
Texans HC DeMeco Ryans believes Stroud should be excited, saying as much when asked about adding Higgins and Noel.
“Both guys, Jayden and then Jaylin, terrific men, first and foremost. And you got two different guys, right? You talk about playmaking ability, Jaylin’s ability to stretch the field, and the deep end of the part of the field,” Ryans told reporters on April 26.
“Jayden, just a big target. Very similar – I know alot of people say very similar to Nico, and what he’s able to do. But you get a receiver of his stature, and with his catch radius, [it] just opens up a lot of things for us offensively that I know all of our guys are excited about. C.J. should be excited about the targets that he has to throw to.”
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