Houston Texans select Jaylin Noel in third round of 2025 NFL Draft

The Houston Texans have selected Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was picked with the No. 79 overall selection of the draft.

Noel teamed up with fellow Cyclone Jayden Higgins to form one of the most dominant receiving tandems in all of college football the past few years. Jaylin Noel saw action in all 14 games, making 11 starts in the 2024-2025 season. He earned first team All-Big 12 honors as a special team’s player and honorable mention accolades as a wideout. Noel posted one of the best receiving seasons in school history, finishing with 80 catches (fifth), 1,194 receiving yards (second) and eight touchdowns (tied for seventh).

He ranked ninth nationally in receiving yards and 18th in receiving yards per game (85.3). As a punt returner, he averaged 15.3 yards on 13 punt returns. Noel and Higgins were one of just two tandems across college football to each notch over 1,000 yards receiving. They became the first receiving duo in the Big 12 to each reach the 1,000-yard mark since 2018 (Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb and Hollywood Brown).

Jaylin Noel recorded five 100-yard games this season and eight for his career with the Cyclones. He finished his career with a catch in his final 46 games, ranking third among active NCAA players and the second longest streak in school history.

Once he hung up his cleats, Noel ranked second all-time at Iowa State with 245 catches. He also ranked fourth in school history with 2,855 receiving yards and 18 touchdown catches. A dynamic all-purpose weapon, Noel ranked fourth in ISU football history with 4,266 all-purpose yards. A big play threat, Noel had seven 50-yard touchdowns, tying him for the most by a Cyclone player since 1971.

In 2023, the 5-11, 200-pound wideout made 11 starts, playing in 12 games, earning second team All-Big 12 accolades from the league’s coaches. He finished with 66 catches for 820 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He also handled punt and kick return duties, averaging 27.2 yards per kick return. His versatility was displayed in his stats: Noel was the first player in America since 2014 to have four 50-plus yard catches, two 50-yard kick returns, and two 30-yard punt returns

In 2022, Noel played in 12 games, making eight starts, ranking second on the team with 60 catches for 572 yards and three touchdowns. He finished with seven games with at least six catches, ranking fourth in the Big 12 Conference with five receptions per game. Once again showcasing his big play ability, Noel had 11 plays of 25 yards or more, the second-most on the team. He finished with 14 kick returns for 237 yards.

In 2021, Noel recorded one of the best rookie seasons by a receiver in Cyclone football history. He played 13 games, tallying 39 catches for 269 receiving yards. As a kick returner, he exploded onto the scene, averaging 26.0 yards per kick return. It ranked as the eighth best single-season total in program history.

As a high school prospect, Noel chose the Cyclones over Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Kansas State among others. He played for Park Hill High School (Kansas City, Missouri). As a recruit, he was tabbed as a three-star and the No. 456 overall player in America, according to the On3 Industry Rankings for the 2021 cycle. Noel was also ranked as the No. 68 wide receiver in the country.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Jaylin Noel

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has a pretty positive comparison for Noel in his scouting report. He compares him to Bruce Ellington. And he also thinks Noel’s blend of receiving and return ability could give him some more pull with teams given the new kickoff rules in the NFL since 2024.

He thinks Noel has the potential to turn into a starter as a Day 2 pick. And Zierlein loves his consistent play speed, to go along with his ability to accelerate and separate on cross-country routes.

“Noel’s blend of receiving and return talent could carry more sway with teams given the league’s new kickoff rules in 2024. He’s primarily a slot receiver but has enough size and speed to kick outside in a pinch. His routes can be a little unfocused but that’s correctable with coaching,” Zierlein wrote.

“What can’t be coached is his consistent play speed. He can accelerate and separate from turns and stems and tends to uncover on cross-country routes. The catch focus can be inconsistent, but he is willing to mix it up in the middle of the field and is a natural after the ball is in his hands. Noel’s upside and punt/kick return value could make him a Day 2 pick with the potential to develop into a starter,” Zierlein finished.