Jaylin Noel News: Houston adds speedy Round 3 wideout

The Texans selected Noel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 79th overall.

The Texans already took Noel's Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins in the second round, so the dominant Cyclone duo reunites in Houston. Nico Collins and Christian Kirk might be too good to lose that many targets to the rookie duo in 2025, and Noel in particular might get the short end of the stick as the smallest of the four, but Noel's athletic testing and collegiate production indicate that he should seize whatever opportunity he's given. At 5-foot-10 with short arms Noel does not have the conventional build to line up on the boundary, though Noel's 4.39-second 40-yard dash showed he absolutely has the wheels to burn a defense deep if they aren't careful. Collins and Kirk both have had their share of durability troubles and Tank Dell isn't expected to be available anytime soon, so there's a chance Noel plays meaningful snaps in 2025 even though the Texans would prefer to keep him in a reserve role. Regardless of his short-term situation, Noel projects as a starting NFL wideout eventually.