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| Texans Rookie Wide Receivers Jaylin Noel And Jayden Higgins |
Over the past five years, college football fans in Ames, Iowa, have filled Jack Trice Stadium on Saturdays to see the Cyclones’ talented wide receivers perform.
Starting with former Associated Press First Team All-American and 2022 Biletnikoff Award Finalist, Xavier Hutchinson, who played three seasons (2020-22).
Next came dynamic wide receiver and special teams player Jaylin Noel, who played alongside Hutchinson for two seasons, followed by Jayden Higgins, who spent his final two college seasons at Iowa State with Noel after transferring from Eastern Kentucky.
Both Noel and Higgins formed one of the best receiving duos in the nation during their final college season, becoming one of just two pairs to each reach 1,000 receiving yards before being drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2025 NFL Draft.
On Sunday, all three former Iowa State Cyclones wide receivers turned NRG Stadium into Jack Trice Stadium with their performances in the Texans’ 26–15 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
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| Texans Wide Receiver Nico Collins |
With 2024 Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins and veteran Christian Kirk unavailable, the trio knew that they would be required to step up in their absence, providing quarterback C.J. Stroud with reliable targets as he prepared to navigate his way through a relentless 49ers pass rush.
Stroud, who finished the game with his best performance of the season with 318 yards passing, two touchdowns, and one interception, distributed the ball evenly to the Cyclone trio as they combined for 166 yards receiving on 14 receptions and two touchdowns.
“Honestly, we knew the task that was at hand for us,” said Hutchinson in his postgame interview about the wide receivers stepping up. “We knew that all three of us was going to be out there the majority of the time.
“Obviously we were not going to have Nico (Collins), so we just put in the work early in the week. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we had great days. I feel like when you put up a great week, you come out on Sunday and have a great game.”
With lots of time in the pocket early on for Stroud, he made San Francisco’s defense pay by leading scoring drives that resulted in two Kaimi Fairbairn field goals, giving the Texans a 6-0 lead in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Stroud started connecting with his rookie playmakers, hitting Noel in stride for a 44-yard pass that put the Texans just outside the red zone. Four plays later, he threw to Higgins in stride for a 12-yard touchdown, the second of his career.
“They are so mature,” said Hutchinson about Higgins and Noel. “I always tell them, Week 7, when I was playing, my rookie year, y’all are far, far, ahead of where I was. I’m just trying to implore them to keep having confidence, no matter which way it goes, just keep being you.
“You guys were drafted here for a reason to make plays, so do that and just be yourself, everything else will fall naturally, and that is what they have done, and it has shown each week in how they play. I am just so excited for them. Those are my boys.”
Heading into Sunday’s game, Hutchinson was one of only two skill players, along with tight end Dalton Shultz, who had more snaps with Stroud in a regular-season game.
During training camp, first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley deliberately sought to involve Hutchinson in the offense.
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| Texans Wide Receiver Xavier Hutchinson |
That connection proved valuable earlier in the season when the two scored two touchdowns in a Week 5 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
In the third quarter against the 49ers, Stroud and Hutchinson rekindled that chemistry as Stroud threw a perfect 30-yard touchdown pass to Hutchinson, giving the Texans a 23-7 lead.
“We’ve got a lot of dogs in the room,” said Hutchinson. “We’ve got a lot of players who want the ball and who can do something with the ball. I felt like that was a great time for us to step up and show up, and that’s exactly what we did.”
I don’t know if Texans owner Cal McNair can persuade the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation to temporarily rename NRG Stadium to Jack Trice Stadium for the rest of the season.
Still, if that’s what it takes to get the performance from Hutchinson, Noel, and Higgins that Houston saw on Sunday, he should at least give it a try.