How does the big-body receiver fit into Houston’s offense?
With the 34th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select: WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
With the No. 34 overall pick in the 2025 @NFLDraft, the @HoustonTexans select Jayden Higgins.
: #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/RGV90FmXPK— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2025
On its surface, this may come as an odd selection considering the Houston Texans already have two star wideouts: Nico Collins and Tank Dell. But, crucially, both Collins and Dell have had their respective injury histories, and Higgins not only gives the Texans’ offense more insurance against those uncontrollable circumstances, but he also provides a massive boon to the passing-game when all three are available.
Jayden Higgins was one of the most intriguing receiver prospects in the NFL Draft this year. his statistics in the 2024 season were:
- 13 Games
- 87 Receptions
- 1,183 Yards
- 12.6 Y/R
- 9 Touchdowns
- 90.3 PFF
His Combine Results are:
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.47 Seconds
- 10-Yard Split: 1.53 Seconds
- Vertical Jump: 39”
- Broad Jump: 10’ 8”
A big body receiver, Higgins practically invites a Nico Collins comparison with his size and traits. He uses his length and speed to get separation, and he’s bendier than you’d expect. Like Collins, Higgins didn’t make a name for himself making the most athletic plays you’ve ever seen, but his size and speed made him a nightmare to cover.
This experience in using his length may come from his history in basketball, even skipping football his freshman year of high school for it. But, he soon returned to football for his junior and senior years of high school, earning all-Dade County honors in 2019 while playing for Westminster Christian School in Palmetto Bay, Fla. Although, he never attracted the attention of Division 1 football teams, and started his collegiate career in 2021 at Eastern Kentucky.
It didn’t take long for him to blossom into a star receiver in college, though. After a breakout 2022 campaign at Eastern Kentucky, Jayden Higgins took his talents to Iowa State, where he became a star for the Cyclones.
In two seasons at Iowa State, Jayden Higgins tallied 140 Receptions, 2,166 yards, 15.5 Y/R, and 15 touchdowns. Just unreal production after being virtually unheard of in 2020. Higgins played both inside and outside while at Iowa State, and – despite the limited route tree – became very productive by utilizing his smooth route-running and outstanding ball skills.
Usually these bigger receivers that have ball skills get them because they’re a bit slower, but not with Higgins. with a 4.47 second 40-yard dash, it’s clear that Jayden Higgins – like Nico Collins – is a real speedster. If he can’t beat you with his size, he’ll beat you with his routes. If that doesn’t work, he beat you by being physical at the catch point. And if that doesn’t work, he’ll beat you with his speed. There’s simply no beating Higgins.
Although, he’s not an superhero athlete like Ja’Marr Chase. Higgins is very, very hard to cover, but some rangy corners will be able to contend with him. He’s also not as creative with his speed as you’d like to see (another demerit of Nico Collins when coming out of Michigan in 2021), and he’s really capable of sudden cuts and stops in his game. At least not yet.
If Jayden Higgins can improve his route running tree and learn to be more creative with his speed, he can be another X receiver for quarterback C.J. Stroud. Not just a fill-in for Collins, he can be a clone of him on the opposite side. With Tank Dell in the middle, that’s a scary sandwich.
Jayden Higgins has the measurables of a future star
– Same size (6’4”, 214) as Tee Higgins (6’4”, 216)
– Faster 40 than A.J. Brown (4.49 vs. 4.47)
– Comparable broad jump (128”) and vert (39”) to Brandon Aiyuk (128”, 40”) pic.twitter.com/AqkCZInFGr— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) April 21, 2025
I mean, consider being a defensive backfield facing quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Texans. How are you going to cover all three of these guys? This is quite the three-headed monster! Except, it’s hard to get over the moon about this pick considering the monstrous holes along the offensive line that have opened up this offseason.
This draft pick comes the day after the Texans traded their first selection of the 2025 NFL Draft, sending it to the New York Giants in exchange for the 34th overall pick, the 99th overall pick, and a 2026 third-round pick. A nice haul, but now that they’ve used the 34th pick on Higgins, the chances of Houston nabbing a starting caliber lineman in this draft have plummeted. Nearly every great offensive lineman was taken off the board in round one, and now several more are being taken in the second round. This is a great pick, but it’s done little to calm my nerves about the state of the offense entering the 2025 season.
What do you think of this pick? Is this exactly what the Houston Texans needed, or a disappointment? Let us know in the comments below!