For the Houston Texans offense to really pop this season, it was likely going to take one of the rookies they selected in the 2025 NFL Draft emerging in a pretty significant way at some point during the year. At various points, Woody Marks and Jayden Higgins have looked like they were going to be that guy, but over the last two games, that guy has been Jaylin Noel, the other rookie wide receiver the Texans drafted and the third former Iowa State Cyclone in Houston's wide receiver room.
Jaylin Noel was used sparingly over the first month of the season, but over his last two games, the former Cyclone has surprisingly become one of CJ Stroud's preferred targets. On the year, Noel has only 14 receptions for 162 yards and one touchdown, but nine of those catches and 140 of those yards have come the last two weeks against the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.
For context, this two-game run from Noel is on par with the most productive two week runs of Tetairoa McMillan (11 receptions, 168 yards in Weeks 1 and 2), Travis Hunter (12 receptions, 116 yards in Weeks 6 and 7) and Matthew Golden (8 receptions, 144 yards in Weeks 4 and 6), a trio of receivers who were selected in the 1st Round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
In addition to his emergence over the last two weeks, a season-long target rate of 15.38% -- the second-highest among all rookie pass-catchers behind only Tampa Bay Buccaneers sensation Emeka Egbuka -- is the clearest sign that Noel's presence is not some sort of blip or aberration. It's an indication that there's developing chemistry between the first-year receiver and his third-year quarterback.
"I mean, I think the hardest part is CJ's part, him actually putting the ball out there," Noel said recently, per Jared Koch of Sports Illustrated. "He puts the ball in the perfect spot. So it's really kudos to him being able to do what he does. It's just on me to be in the right spot at the right time, and like I said, he does the hard part in getting the ball here. So, yeah, he's really impressive in that way."
Noel initially caught Stroud's eye over the summer. In mid-August, after a couple of weeks of training camp were in the books, Stroud noted that the rookie's route-running and quickness stood out. Evidently, it's just taken the Texans coaching staff a little longer to catch onto what Stroud saw, because until the last two weeks, Noel hadn't had a game with over a 35% snap share all year.
Even though Nico Collins and Christian Kirk figure to be worked back into the rotation as soon as they're able to go, the Texans would be wise to make sure Noel continues to get snaps and nurture that early chemistry he's developed with CJ Stroud.