Texans Draft Another Iowa State WR: Jaylin Noel

The Texans selected Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel with the 79th pick of Round 3 in the 2025 NFL Draft. He will be paired with college teammate Jayden Higgins who the Texans drafted in Round 2. At just under 5'10, 196 pounds, he’s likely a slot target in the NFL. However, at the Senior Bowl he saw extensive work out wide, giving Noel versatility for the Texans. As a true freshman at Iowa State, Noel posted 39-269-0 alongside QB Brock Purdy. Noel spent the next three seasons with the Cyclones, with the last two turning up a spike in production (146-2,014-15). “I feel like I can run every route,” Noel has said. “But there’s always small things you can do to get better.” He had a 9.75 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) based on his predraft testing. He also ranked 11th among Combine WRs in 2024 Target Share at 27.7%, and 14th among those WRs in PFF Receiving Grade with an 81.7. He is currently 22 years old with a Breakout Age of 21. He ranked 12th among WRs in our Draft Sharks predraft Rookie Model scoring a 6.8. Our Comp for him in our Rookie Guide is Willie Snead.
2025 Fantasy Football Impact
Noel played mainly in the slot in college and that is likely his role in the NFL.
He should back-up Christian Kirk for now, but may move into the role after a year or two.
He isn't a redraft consideration
Dynasty Impact
Noel's speed and quickness make him a threat to get open.
Pairing him with Jayden Higgins is intriguing long term, but Noel is likely a third-round rookie pick at best