NFL Draft 2025: Texans draft Jaylin Noel in Round 3; full scouting report, pro comparison and future outlook

Four days before the start of Dick Vermeil’s second season with the Chiefs (and the Dwayne Rudd helmet-toss game), Jaylin Noel was born on the Kansas side of Kansas City. He started playing football, among other sports, in the second grade, taking to quarterback for two years before switching to receiver. He played in youth leagues all throughout his middle-school years before begging his mother, Deirdre Cash, to move to the Missouri side of Kansas City so he can play at Park Hill High School.

She relented and Noel wound up playing as soon as his freshman year, lining up across the formation from current Lions receiver Ronnie Bell. Noel was a hit for the Trojans in his sophomore year, catching 36 passes in 10 games for 498 yards and seven scores. His role expanded his junior and senior seasons as rushing was added to his plate along with a smattering of kick returns, punt returns, pass attempts and punts.

Totaling over 1,000 total yards in each of those last two seasons, it was no surprise that Noel got some attention as a 247Sports three-star prospect from some big-time schools in that region of the country, including Nebraska, Kansas State, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Recruiting was limited because it was during COVID-19 and there were no official visits, but Iowa State felt like home to him because the coaches were genuine, plus he liked the way Brock Purdy threw for them. Little did Noel know that he’d become a fixture in the Cyclones offense for a long time. 

Now he’s an NFL player, as the Houston Texans selected him in the third round (No. 79 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. He’ll reunite with fellow Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins, who Houston took in Round 2 (No. 34)

Jaylin Noel NFL Draft profile

• Age as of Week 1: 23 years old
• Height: 5-10 1/4
• Weight: 194
• Hand size: 8 3/4 inches

CBS prospect ranking

• Rating: 80.15 (Starter)

Position: No. 13 | Overall: No. 97

NFL comparison: Deion Branch

Noel is tough to compare to other receivers because he’s got a unique-but-slight build and great speed but isn’t a complete receiver — yet. Former Patriots wideout Deion Branch was not tall, didn’t have big hands and wasn’t a route technician in his early days, yet he became impactful because of his speed against slower competition. Noel can be exactly that receiver with room for development. 

Jaylin Noel NFL Draft scouting report

Accolades

• 2024: Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Year (averaged 15.3 yards per punt return and 17.7 yards per kick return)
• 2024: Second in school history in single-season receiving yards (1,194), fifth in receptions (80) and tied for seventh in receiving touchdowns (eight)

Strengths

• Noel lined up everywhere, including in the ‘F’ behind the tackle or tight end.
• Noel won with explosive speed, both in his burst off the snap and in his routes. He’ll be a factor after the catch and will break some big plays off short throws.
• Very good at locating and tracking longer throws.

• Noel’s body control was great. He would contort his body to better snag off-target passes. Real good athleticism.
• Outside of a few drops, his hands were very good last season. Reliable and used away from his body a good amount. He should be a mostly reliable receiver.
• Returned punts every season for the Cyclones and kick returns mainly in his first three seasons. No touchdowns but has experience there to help a team.
• Improved statistically year over year at Iowa State in catches, yards, receiving average and touchdowns.
• No reported injuries over four years — missed one game because of food poisoning.
• Team captain in 2023 and 2024.
• High-character player with a friendly, outgoing personality. Had his own YouTube show with his best friend, former Iowa State D-tackle Howard Brown (peep the cameo from Purdy and Breece Hall in that clip). Per his mother, Noel wants to open a steakhouse someday and is “obsessed” with steaks, especially ribeyes.

Concerns

• Not a big guy. Won’t win many high-point catches. Struggled with press and physicality both off the snap and in his routes in college. Defenders will know they can re-route him and mess up his timing.
• Was a little underwhelming in terms of his route-running. It was sort of rare to see him separate with sharp cuts, jukes or double-moves. He also ran a go, out, hitch or crossing route on 72% of his 747 routes over the past two seasons. If he expands his route tree and learns to be crisper in his routes, Noel will be a very tough cover.
• There is an issue with drops. He had four of them over 119 targets in 2024, which isn’t bad. But entering 2024, Noel dropped 15 passes over 230 targets in three seasons. That’s a 6.5% drop rate. That’s bad. He has 8.5-inch hands and did tend to body-catch more than a few times. At minimum it’s something every NFL team has to be mindful of.
• Noel’s lack of size and power led to struggles sustaining his blocks. He probably shouldn’t be counted on in the run game. 

Bottom line

Noel effectively worked as the 1B receiver in Iowa State’s mostly-spread scheme and finished his career with over 1,000 yards and a career-best eight scores in 2024. Noel will bring a speed element to any offense he goes to, something a lot of prospects in this class can’t say, especially those with his kind of experience. It’s fair to call him an ascending player (his numbers improved each year at Iowa State), and it’s also fair to say his ceiling is incredibly high once he masters route-running and figures out how to combat the physicality that comes with playing on Sundays.

Jaylin Noel college stats