The Houston Texans and rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins made history Thursday by agreeing to a fully guaranteed contract, the first-ever for a second-round NFL draft pick, according to multiple reports.
The four-year deal will pay Higgins just more than $11.7 million.
Houston drafted the Iowa State star with the 34th pick after he caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cyclones last season.
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The Texans went heavy on offense in the 2025 NFL Draft, as six of their nine picks went to that side of the ball. They even drafted Higgins’ college teammate Jaylin Noel, also a receiver, in the third round. Both pass catchers will play alongside another former Cyclones star, wideout Xavier Hutchinson.
Houston will be relying on its young newcomers — and their ability to build rapport with quarterback C.J. Stroud — after losing Stefon Diggs in free agency to the New England Patriots. The Texans also have to wait for Tank Dell to recover from knee surgery after the receiver was injured in Week 16 of last season.
What Higgins brings to Houston
Higgins, who transferred to Iowa State in 2023 after two years at Eastern Kentucky, was one of the best big man receivers in college football last season, combining with talented teammate (and now current Houston teammate) Noel to pace the Cyclones’ offense. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Higgins was tied for second among Big 12 receivers with 14 contested catches in 2024, working all over the formation for Iowa State.
Physically, Higgins is very similar to current Texans standout Nico Collins — as Higgins ran an impressive 4.47 40-yard dash with a 39-inch vertical and a 10-foot-8 broad jump at the combine. All numbers are similar to what Collins put up ahead of the 2021 draft. The best part about Higgins’ game is that he can move like a much smaller player, both during his route and after the catch. I thought Noel, who the Texans got in the third round, was slightly better than Higgins. But these were two of the best WRs in the 2025 draft class and should provide instant help for Stroud and Houston’s offense this fall. — Nick Baumgardner, NFL draft writer
(Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
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