The Houston Texans once again made the playoffs, but it seemed like a step back for second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud and the AFC South champions.
After a divisional round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Texans focus heading into the offseason was strengthening the offensive line and getting more dynamic on offense. With no real timeline on when wide receiver Tank Dell will return from a gruesome season-ending injury, the Texans 2025 NFL Draft targets were obvious.
Can the team protect Stroud and would they find playmakers to complement Nico Collins in the team’s offensive attack?
Houston Texans address top needs:
The answer to those questions remains to be seen, but the draft prospects they added have the talent to fit the bill. With no first round pick, the Texans addressed their two biggest needs in using their two second round picks on big wide receiver Jayden Higgins and a tackle in Aireontae Ersery who should help replace veteran left tackle Laremy Tunsil. The Texans also added more speed at wide receiver in Jaylin Noel and added depth at running back. Which of these rookies will make an immediate impact? Let’s explore.
Here are 3 rookies to watch for the Houston Texans:
Round 2, Pick No. 34 – Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State: The Texans want to get more playmakers around Stroud and they found a good one in Iowa State product Jayden Higgins who should challenge Christin Kirk for the team’s No. 2 receiver role opposite Nico Collins.
Strong, physical and athletic, the 6-foot-4 Higgins is coming off a season in which he accounted for 1,183 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. As a big outside threat, Higgins has sneaky good speed and will make an impact in the offense with his ability to win battles against defenders and his route running ability. Playing alongside Collins, a player he is compared to, should help the Texans’ top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft thrive Year 1.
Round 2, Pick No. 48 – Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota: The Texans will have a revamped offensive line entering the 2025 NFL season and second-round pick Aireontae Ersery will be a major part of it. After trading Tunsil and parting ways with Kenyon Green and Shaq Mason, the Texans offensive line in front of Stroud will be built to protect the third-year quarterback.
In using a second-round pick on Ersery, the Texans are putting the Minnesota product right in the fire as he will compete with Cam Robinson at left tackle. Coming off a solid college career, Ersery figures to play a prominent role in the tackle rotation if he doesn’t beat out Robinson outright. With the Texans entering the season with obvious playoff aspirations, securing the line will be a big part of that and the No. 48 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft will be a major X-factor in fortifying the trenches on the offense side of the ball.
Round 4, Pick No. 116– Woody Marks, RB, USC: It’s not just the offensive line that can make Stroud a more effective quarterback, a solid running game will make him just that more dangerous. The Texans have Joe Mixon as the lead back but watch out for fourth-round pick Woody Marks to etch his way into the offensive game plan on a weekly basis.
Marks, who rushed for 1,133 yards in his final season at USC, is a threat catching the ball out of the backfield with his best year coming in 2021 when he racked up 83 catches for 502 yards. That dual-threat ability will give Stroud a dump down option when he is under duress. In all, a name to watch in the Texans offense going into 2025.