Texans draft Higgins after trading out of Round 1

The Houston Texans selected Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 34th overall.

It's the Texans' first selection this year after they traded their first-round pick to the New York Giants on Thursday. Wide receiver was a major need for the team.

Higgins played two seasons at Iowa State, catching 140 passes for 2,166 yards and 15 touchdowns. He could have an immediate impact on Houston's offense while lining up alongside wideouts Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, among others.

Pre-draft profile

Higgins has a chance to be one of the best receivers in this draft. The Iowa State product does all the things you might expect of a big-bodied target, consistently making his presence felt in contested-catch situations, but that's only a small part of his game. He's a far more savvy route-runner than most prospects of his size, demonstrating a good release package and the nuance to set up defenders and create separation at all levels of the field. Any questions about his speed or explosiveness should have been answered with the excellent athletic profile he put together in combine drills. Higgins is a versatile target who can contribute as a big slot in addition to a primary role on the outside. He probably doesn't have the suddenness to be a true threat after the catch, but that's a minor concern when the rest of the skill set is so well-rounded. Higgins could end up as a major steal.