Xavier Hutchinson got a huge call out from an NFL star during Hall of Fame game

Football is back, and the Houston Texans took the field Thursday night in this year's annual Hall of Fame Game. The Texans hosted the Chicago Bears in a game where we didn't see any star players, but there were certainly some storylines to come out of this one.

One of the top talking points after the game was Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson. Last year, the Texans drafted Hutchinson in the sixth round but he did not see a whole lot of playing time as a rookie.

Thursday night, though, he got all he could handle. And, one particular NFL star noticed.

New York Jets starting running back Breece Hall took to social media to post about his former teammate.

Hall and Hutchinson played together back at Iowa State during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. While Hall was a much higher pick in his respective draft (second round), Hutchinson dropped quite a ways. But, the running back saw what every other Texans fan saw on Thursday night: Hutchinson belongs.

The former Cyclone caught five of six targets for 56 yards, including a long of 20. He also took an end-around for eight yards, proving his versatility.

Xavier Hutchinson still faces an uphill battle for playing time

While Hutchinson presents a lot to like at 6-foot-3 with a stronger frame and the ability to go up and high-point the football, the depth chart has not been kind to him.

Of course, the Texans went out and traded for Stefon Diggs, who did not play. They also extended Nico Collins after a breakout season in 2023 and have Tank Dell entering year 2 (both of whom did not play Thursday, either).

Noah Brown is still ahead of him on the depth chart, and if the Texans decided to part ways with Robert Woods, that'd be one guy Hutchinson would leapfrog. John Metchie is still there, too, though. The Texans simply have too much depth to warrant giving Hutchinson ample playing time, so he's going to continue having a rough road when it comes to that department.

Still, he's a valuable asset to keep on the permanent roster and would make an immediate impact in the case of an injury.