The Houston Texans are in the thick of their annual training camp as they prepare for the 2025 NFL season. As usual, the early practices and workouts have led to mixed results across the board, with some players exceeding expectations while others are failing to prove their worth to Houston's coaching staff altogether.
When it comes to players whom fans are closely monitoring this summer, look no further than rookie wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Houston selected the Iowa State receiving duo with the 2025 NFL draft's 34th and 79th overall picks, respectively, indicating that head coach DeMeco Ryans likely has high expectations for the WR tandem in Year 1.
The ex-Cyclones boast plenty of potential; however, that doesn't mean much until they finally make their NFL debuts. Although that won't be until September, a pair of veteran Texans cornerbacks just have the rookie WR duo their 'welcome-to-the-league' moment.'
Texans CBs Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre Welcome WR Jayden Higgins to NFL with Huge Hit
During Tuesday's practice, Higgins learned what being an NFL WR is all about. The rookie playmaker connected with quarterback C.J. Stroud on a pass only to be on the receiving end of a dual-hit courtesy of veteran ballhawks Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre.
Footage of Higgins getting his NFL-welcoming moment can be seen in the video below, shared by TheLead Houston's Harley Dugan.
Derek Stingley and Jalen Pitre pop rookie WR Jayden Higgins pic.twitter.com/1pMpY87Fdk
— Harley Dugan (@TheLead_HOU) July 29, 2025
NFL training camps are all about making an impact, which is what Stingley and Pitre (literally) did with their massive hit on Higgins. The Cobb County, GA native is projected to develop into a No. 2 wideout with some WR1 potential, meaning he's going to have to get used to being covered and tackled by some of the league's top ballhawks.
For reference, Stingley (84.4) and Pitre (71.3) finished with the 2nd- and 21st-best Pro Football Focus coverage grades among eligible CBs last season. Fortunately, Higgins only has to deal with the duo during practice, whereas opposing WRs aren't as lucky.
Practicing against elite defenders like Stingley and Pitre will force Higgins to step up, which isn't a bad thing at all. The gifted rookie dazzled with 140 receptions for 2,166 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns during his two-year stay at ISU, and even having a portion of that success next season would help take Houston's offense to new heights — especially after losing Stefon Diggs in free agency and Tank Dell to an ACL tear.
If tough training camp practices and a wide-open WR chart are enough to bring out his best, it won't be long before the rest of the NFL knows Higgins' name.