A 6-foot-4 second-round receiver who signed the first fully guaranteed rookie contract in NFL history and delivered a productive debut season in Houston.
Jayden Higgins came out of Iowa State as a size-speed outlier, pairing a 6-foot-4 frame with 4.47 speed, and the Texans took him 34th overall to reunite him with college teammate Jaylin Noel. His fully guaranteed rookie deal made history, and he backed it up by becoming Houston's clear second option at receiver behind Nico Collins as a rookie.
Path to the league
Higgins began his college career at Eastern Kentucky before transferring to Iowa State, where he broke out as a third-team All-American in 2024 with 87 catches for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns. The Texans drafted him in the second round (34th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft and signed him to a fully guaranteed four-year, $11.7 million contract, a first for a second-round pick in league history.
Career highlights
At 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds with a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, Higgins profiled as a big-bodied vertical threat who could win at the catch point. His draft-day contract and immediate role in Houston's offense made him one of the most closely watched rookies in his class.
2025 season recap
Higgins played all 17 regular-season games as a rookie, catching 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns on 68 targets while starting 10 games. He established himself as Houston's best receiver not named Nico Collins, with his role expanding as the season progressed.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jayden Higgins
- Pro Football Reference: Jayden Higgins
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Receiving
17 games played▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | texans | 17 | 41 | 525 | 12.8 | 6 | 75 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- Iowa State
- Hometown
- South Miami, FL, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
