Houston Texans Rookie Expected to Be Among Most Productive in the NFL

The Houston Texans are going to need their playmakers to step up in 2025, and ESPN expects rookie Jayden Higgins to do just that.

Jan 29, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team wide receiver Jayden Higgins of Iowa State (9) grabs a pass during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans hopefully have a potential superstar on their hands with former Iowa State football receiver Jayden Higgins. The 6-foot-4 Higgins has a huge catch radius which should be helpful for C.J. Stroud, who is trying to build his career after a disappointing sophomore slump that followed a breakout rookie season.

Higgins went for 983 receiving yards as a junior at Iowa State in 2023 and followed that up with 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior. He showed enough potential there to be taken in the second round by the Texans, who drafted him with their top selection after trading out of the first round.

Stroud is going to need Higgins to step up as Tank Dell is likely to be sidelined for the entire season, leading Nico Collins as the main weapon in Houston and Higgins potentially behind him. The Texans aren't the only ones thinking Higgins might be a star even as a rookie. ESPN's Mike Clay agrees and sees him as a leader in receiving yards and touchdowns. Clay broke down the top potential rookie receivers and placed Higgins at No. 4 on the list, seeing the former Cyclones standout having around 723 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Here's what Clay said about Higgins and a few others on the list.

"Golden (No. 23), Higgins (No. 34) and Bech (No. 58) all could easily start in Week 1. But the outlook for receivers selected after pick No. 20 through the third round is unspectacular. Since 2011, there are 148 receivers who fit that bill and played at least one snap as a rookie. Only 24 of them (16.2%) reached 800 receiving yards, and 24 (16.2%) caught at least seven touchdowns. This is something to keep in mind when considering the upside of all the Rounds 1 and 2 wide receivers," Clay wrote.

Panthers' Tetairoa McMillan led the listing and is projected to have 926 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Of note, Travis Hunter, who was a top-five pick, is listed third with 884 yards and five touchdowns.

While Nico Collins is in Houston, there's no doubt Higgins should see involvement enough to hit these projections by Clay. Nonetheless, in just a few months, we'll be able to see exactly what the Iowa State star is made of.