The Houston Texans made some changes on the offensive side of the ball this offseason after getting bounced in the Divisional round for the second straight year.
With Tank Dell nursing a major knee injury and Stefon Diggs leaving in free agency, the Texans made sure to address the position.
In the 2025 NFL draft, they drafted Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in back-to-back rounds. After the first OTA practice on May 28, Higgins already caught the attention of Nico Collins.
Collins said, "That boy is nice," regarding Higgins.
Nico Collins is Impressed by Jayden Higgins at OTAs Practices
Higgins was selected with the 34th overall pick, and he's expected to have a big role in 2025. With Collins locking down one outside receiver spot and Christian Kirk likely lining up in the slot, the other spot is up for grabs. And it looks like Higgins is ready to take that spot and not look back.
He stands at 6-foot-4 and owns superb body control. The Iowa State product moves swiftly as a route runner and is comfortable catching a range of different passes. In 48 collegiate games, Higgins recorded 227 catches for 3,317 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns.
The Florida native has the tools needed to make an immediate impact, and after just one OTA practice, he already impressed Collins.
The better Higgins is, the easier life will be for Collins on the other side. The Michigan product has exploded over the last two seasons with C.J. Stroud at the helm. Between 2023 to 2024, he had 148 receptions (208 targets) for 2,303 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He's gone over 1,000 yards in both seasons, and having another playmaker who draws coverage away from him would be a huge win.
This summer will be key to building continuity for the Texans' offense, and it already looks like Higgins will be someone to watch for.