FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 18: Jayden Higgins #81 of the Houston Texans looks on during an NFC Divisional Playoff game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images
School is out! Okay, well maybe the Houston Texans’ 2025 season did not end in the confetti and fireworks we may have been hoping, but considering the circumstances the team was in after an 0-3 start, ending up all the way into the divisional round of the playoffs was quite the impressive feat. This is the third divisional-round exit in a row for the Texans, making January disappointment a bit of a nasty habit for the organization, but I think this year has a case to be the most intriguing of the three trips. In 2023, Houston performed well above expectations thanks to miraculous rookie seasons from QB CJ Stroud and DE Will Anderson Jr.; in 2024, Houston found their way back to the playoffs primarily behind a moderately improved defense as well as riding the tide of veteran stars, such as RB Joe Mixon, WR Stefon Diggs, and DE Danielle Hunter. In 2025, general manager Nick Caserio shed some of the largest contracts on offense by letting go of Diggs and trading away LT Laremy Tunsil, replacing them with the lesser services of veteran LT Cam Robinson and WR Christian Krik.
But, of course, Robinson and Kirk were not the stories of the 2025 Texans season. They were mere footnotes in the largest development of the 2025 season: the rookies! Yes, the 2025 Houston Texans, despite ending up at the same high watermark as previous years, should have much more hope for the future thanks to the quality play of several rookie teammates keeping the team in contention all year long. So, who were the best rookies of this class? Who were the worst? How does this draft class compare to Nick Caserio’s previous Texans draft classes? All the answers lie below in my final grades for the Houston Texans 2025 rookie class:
FINAL GRADES:
Pick 1: Round 2 (34th Overall) – WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
- Measurables: Height: 6’4”, Weight: 215lbs, Hand: 9 ½”, Arm: 33 ½”, 40-yard dash: 4.47s, Vertical Jump: 39”, Broad Jump: 10’8”
- Rookie Statistics: 17 Games (10 Starts), 41 Receptions on 68 Targets (60.3 Ctch%), 525 Yards, 6 TDs, 30.9 Yards per Game
- Grade: B+
While Jayden Higgins was not the rookie sensation some may have been hoping for, he was definitely the Texans best reciever not named Nico Collins. By the time I was writing my
midseason grades for each rookie, Higgins had already had a few solid games with both Stroud and Davis Mills. After that article, he became a common target for Stroud, and even a safety valve when he was scrambling. Higgins’ height, speed, and fast hands made him an attractive target on seam routes. out breaking plays, and on plays from the slot. Higgins was given a lot on his plate early despite not being heavily targeted, but his quick acclimation to NFL speed got him a lot more attention from Stroud and Nick Caley alike. Former NFL wide receiver Steven Smith Sr. even goes as far to describe Higgins’ traits as
comparable to NFL hall-of-fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald:
Back in August 2025, the Texans’ offense took two major blows in the form of significant injuries to starting RB
Joe Mixon and TE
Brevin Jordan, both missing the entire season. Losing a pro-bowl halfback is a big loss to the ground game, but including a TE like Jordan was a loss almost too much for the team to bear…almost. In response to the loss of muscle at other skill positions, Houston’s wide receivers would need to shoulder the burden and assume a greater role on the team, which is exactly where Jayden Higgins steps in.
Back in my
midseason grades, I wrote:
Houston didn’t receive immediate, high-level production from Jayden Higgins, but his growing role in the offense bodes well for his role as a Texan. He’s become a reliable #2 option behind Nico Collins, with the potential to become much more with Stroud’s incoming return to the lineup [following his week 9 concussion].
Stroud would return to the field in week 13, coinciding with one of Higgins best periods of the season. By the time I had written the rookies’ midseason grades, Higgins had already shown promise as a lanky red-zone target, as well as a slant specialist for Davis Mills. Upon Stroud’s return, Higgins would absorb several more targets by following the quarterback as he scrambled away from the pocket. Against the Colts and Chiefs, Jayden Higgins was the target on some back-breaking third down conversions, and against the Chargers he was the surprise deep-threat that stunned the whole stadium!
His versatility on the field became a respected element of the Texans offense by the end of the year, which finished the season ranked 13th in points despite all of their warts. Battle Bed Blog’s
Kenneth Levy stated in
his review of Higgins after the draft that he seems to often leap into the air to receive passes, even when it wasn’t required. Higgins happy feet got the best of him a few times at the collegiate level, but by the end of his rookie NFL season, those hops seem to have abated. Just take a quick look at this crucial third-down reception against the Kansas City Chiefs; not only does Higgins keep his feet about him, but he also follows his quarterback during the scramble drill and find the exact spot in a crowded field of defenders to get open and make the catch:
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Still, despite the improvement, Higgins was not the Tee Higgins to Nico Collins’ JaMarr Chase. In the final six weeks of the season, Higgins received a total of 14 catches on 23 targets (61 Ctch%) for 231 yards, an underwhelming total considering his draft position. Higgins was not always sure-handed, and would struggle against stickier CBs like New England’s Christian Gonzalez. With these demerits in mind, I’ve decided to give Higgins a B+ for his rookie year with the Texans. Not without his highs and clear use within the Nick Caley offense, Higgins was still not the breakout star many had hoped he would be. Being that as it may, I expect Jayden Higgins to develop into one of CJ Stroud’s very favorite targets for years to come.
Pick 2: Round 2 (48th Overall) – T Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
- Measurables: Height: 6’ 6” Weight: 331 lbs, Arm: 33 ⅛”, Hand: 9 ½”, 40-Yard Dash: 5.01s, 10-Yard Split: 1.75s, Vertical Jump: 29.5”, Bench Press: 25 Reps
- Rookie Statistics: 1,225 Snaps (753 Pass Blocking, 472 Run Blocking), 65.4 Pass Blocking PFF grade, 50.9 Run Blocking PFF grade, 13 Penalties (4 Accepted), 8 Sacks, 11 Hits, 30 Hurries
- Grade: A
What were you doing exactly one year ago? Welcome back to Groundhog Day 2025, Punxsutawney Phil has declared 6 more weeks of winter (again), and the Texans are licking their wounds after suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Like this year, the 2024 Texans’ offense was infamous for its bouts of ugliness, but one spot that the fanbase could count on as a non-issue was LT. Thanks to the stalwart tackle Laremy Tunsil, one of the most important positions in the sport could be taken for granted and ignored by Texans fans the world over. Tunsil had just earned his third consecutive pro bowl selection, so, naturally, it only made sense for the Texans organization to
ship him away to Washington, D.C. for a package of draft picks.
TRADE: Texans trading LT Laremy Tunsil and a fourth-round pick to the Commanders for second, third and fourth-round picks. (via
@Rapsheet)
pic.twitter.com/eL6YaAZdCt
— NFL (@NFL)
March 10, 2025
I remember the moment I saw that headline appear on my phone last year, immediately causing my heart to sink. “Did the Texans just deliberately close their Super Bowl window?” I thought as I tried to make sense of the trade while googling it over and over to ensure the report was real. To my dismay at the time, it was very real, and it turned Houston’s crisis at offensive line into a full five-alarm fire. I would never have believed that Nick Caserio and his band of masochists would find a viable plug to that massive hole in the draft just a couple months later, but that’s exactly what they found in Aireontae Ersery.
Aireontae Ersery just played the best game of his career
pic.twitter.com/3fUHh8MS17
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF)
October 28, 2025
Texans LT Aireontae Ersery has allowed a 7.9% pressure rate this season, the 10th-lowest among left tackles and the 4th-lowest by a rookie of his position since 2018.
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelV)
December 27, 2025
He won’t be mistaken for Laremy Tunsil anytime soon, but Ersery was a starting-caliber pass blocker for CJ Stroud’s blindside all season long. He went from giving up three sacks in his first three games to only giving up five for the rest of the season, locking down top pass rushers like the Jaguars’ Josh Hines-Allen and the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby. Ersery carries with him long, heavy arms that can keep even the biggest defensive linemen at bay, and when he’s operating in rhythm and picking up speed, Ersery is a dangerous force in the ground game. Back in
my review of him after the draft, I took note of Ersery’s lower body agility and his length, both of his favorite tools in his rookie year.
Ersery is strong against speed rushers (check out his Abdul Carter highlights), but his size doesn’t prevent him from being a quality blocker in space when clearing a path for the tailback. For being such a big lineman, he’s faster than expected, but he’s not as bendy as other NFL tackles, nor does he have that deadly first punch that so many top prospects do.
His size and speed worked to his benefit in the next level, but Ersery still had his weaknesses laid bare against toolsy rushers like Chris Jones and T.J. Watt. In plays like the one below, Ersery can be spotted being just a beat late on his assignment, allowing Jones to blast through the line of scrimmage and hold the rush by Woody Marks to a modest gain. This was a problem that haunted Ersery for much of the season, and he never really fully got over it, even having the propensity to get manhandled from time to time.
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Some of this can be chalked up to rookie inexperience, but it still remains an issue that keeps Ersery from being a true home-run draft pick. Until he’s able to eliminate the subpar stretches and learn how to consistently attack his target instead of hesitating, Ersery will live within the long shadow cast by Laremy Tunsil. Ersery was still more good than bad in his rookie year, though, which is quite the impressive feat. One of the NFL’s top eight teams had a rookie second-round pick starting at LT, so Aireontae Ersery deserves at least an A for filling such big shoes admirably in year one. Hopefully, with a full season under the belt and some more consistency to his right side, Ersery will have a very bright future ahead of him as a Houston Texan.
Pick 3: Round 3 (79th Overall) – WR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
- Measurables: Height: 5’ 10”, Weight: 194 lbs., Arm: 29 ½”, Hand: 8 ¾”, 40-Yard Dash: 4.39s, 10-Yard Split: 1.51s, Vertical Jump: 41.5”, Bench Press: 23 Reps
- Rookie Statistics: 17 Games (3 Starts), 26 catches on 35 targets (74.3 Ctch%), 292 yards, 2 TDs, 17.2 Y/G, 29 kick returns for 799 yards (27.6 Avg.), 31 punt returns for 335 yards (10.8 Avg.)
- Grade: B-
One of the most surprising and most discussed selections of the draft, wide receiver Jaylin Noel shared the field with Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins, becoming the thunder to his lightning. Whenever Higgins athleticism was quelled, you could count on Noel to use his speed and slithery route-running to move the chains. I mean, just look at this catch in Seattle!
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In his rookie year with the Houston Texans, Noel’s best receptions showed that he can employ his same collegiate tools to win in the NFL, but he still remained on the sidelines and underutilized for much of the year. The cause for his absences was a handful of factors not entirely within his control, including the emergence of Xavier Hutchinson and fellow rookie Iowa State Cyclone, Jayden Higgins.
Unfortunately for Jaylin Noel, Houston’s cast of quality wide receivers created for him an uphill climb to earning any additional snaps beyond the occasional out-route and deep shot, and he was not exceptional enough in his limited targets to leapfrog anyone. In the final six games of the season, Noel saw his time on field drop to average of just 9.83 snaps per game, partially because of Christian Kirk’s return to the lineup as well as the coaching staff’s insistence on funneling the passing attack into the hands of Nico Collins, Higgins, and TE Dalton Schultz. This is not directly Noel’s fault, but it lays bare the reality that he was simply not pushing the envelope enough from the slot position to demand more attention, and his lone target in the wildcard matchup might clue us viewers into why:
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This pass was both late and high, but Noel still leapt into the air and had a whole forearm around it before it was jarred loose by incoming Steelers S Chuck Clark. This pass, despite its warts, should have been a completion and would have set the Texans up with at least a field goal attempt right before halftime. Instead, due to factors not completely within Noel’s control, the ball fell incomplete, and Houston’s opportunity to steal points decayed into another meaningless possession ending with a punt.
Besides the underwhelming showing on offense, Noel has used his greatest strengths to become a menace in the return game, tallying 799 kickoff return yards and 335 punt return yards, a Texans rookie record! Even though his special teams viability is probably one of the major reasons Nick Caserio drafted him, it was reassuring to see how naturally Noel assumed the role as primary returner, showing an eye for finding the crease in return coverage and a knack for hitting the afterburners at the right time. He wasn’t a superstar by any means, but a rookie finding moderate gains this easily is a sign of good things to come, which will hopefully bode well for his long-term outlook on offense. Don’t just take it from me either, Battle Red Blog contributor
Clayton Anderson spent the entire 2025 regular season covering the resident Cyclones in a weekly article, and most recently,
he described Noel as being, “…a field-flipper in open space, which has contributed to Houston’s special teams unit being such a weapon throughout the regular season.”
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His size, inability to shed tackles, and vanishing presence on the offense will drag Noel’s grade down for his rookie year. But, if he can take Christian Kirk’s spot in the slot and prove he’s too fast for any defender, Noel will see his star rise in Houston. As of right now, he remains a bit of an unknown quantity, but a combination of him and the returning Tank Dell may be the juice CJ Stroud needs to get back to his former self.
Pick 4: Round 3 (97th Overall) – CB Jaylin Smith, USC
- Measurables: Height: 5’ 10 ½”, Weight: 187lbs., Arm: 29 ⅞”, Hand: 9 ¼”, 40-Yard Dash: 4.45s, 10-Yard Split: 1.6s, Vertical Jump: 32.5”
- Rookie Statistics: 4 Games (0 Starts), 6 Tackles, 1 Fumble Recovery
- Rookie Preseason Statistics: 67 Snaps, 6 Tackles, 5 Receptions on 6 Targets (83.3 Rec%) for 28 Yards, 1 Interception, 46.5 Passer Rating Allowed, 71.7 Defensive PFF Grade
- Grade: N/A
The vast majority of rookies will go on to play at least a few snaps in several games for their respective NFL teams. But, every year, a few will have one of the most important years of their careers go up in smoke due to the inescapable scourge that is injuries. Talented rookie CB Jaylin Smith, Houston’s fourth pick of the 2025 draft, knows this suffering all too well, having two of his five collegiate seasons broken up due to ankle injuries. Despite that, however, Nick Caserio still went out of his way to draft Smith in the third round, higher than many draft analysts had rated. Though the optimism about Smith’s professional viability is warranted when looking at his games against Penn State or Michigan, he unfortunately was placed on IR twice this year: once at the beginning of the year due to a
hamstring injury and soon after ending up season-ending injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury that required surgery.
#Texans rookie Jaylin Smith posts after season ending knee injury. It wasn't his ACL, per source
@KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/eXzzthuSVZ
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL)
November 12, 2025
A significant hamstring and subsequent leg injury are going to be damaging to Smith’s long term prospects of being a Texan. If his troubled injury history continues into the NFL, the Texans front office may look to cut bait with him sooner rather than later. However, star CB Derek Stingley Jr. has already demonstrated that it’s possible to bounce back from injury-riddled years and blossom into a star. But, whether or not Jaylin Smith has the traits to become a star…is debatable. In those highlight-worthy performances, Smith’s awareness of the opposing team’s tendencies granted him several easy tackles and ample opportunity to jump on the ball while in man-coverage. But, his slow reaction time in zone and occasional sluggishness has also led to some ugly days at USC.
In his limited time playing on special teams and very limited time (31 snaps) playing on defense, Smith flashed the instincts and tackling prowess that made me swoon for him in
my grades immediately following the draft. His collegiate experience in both the slot and outside cornerback positions has prepared him to embrace a variety of assignments on defense, but his size and lack of availability makes me unsure of what he may become in the NFL. What makes me even more unsure about the whole thing is the fact that WKU CB Upton Stout was taken by the San Francisco 49ers just three picks after Houston took Smith, and quickly became a reliable defender in the slot for the entirety of the 49ers’ season. Smith still could end up becoming a solid depth CB or Jalen Pitre understudy, but in his first season, Smith hasn’t left much of a significant impression at all. Maybe he will turn things around in year two, but I will try to maintain a strictly neutral opinion of Smith until the preseason is upon us.
Film Don’t Lie with Jaylin Smith
:
The Texans rookie cornerback peeped a Panthers pattern which helped him snag his first interception.
He shared with me details on his first NFL pick
pic.twitter.com/Nxawfj7mKz
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV)
August 20, 2025
Pick 5: Round 4 (116th Overall) – RB Woody Marks, USC
- Measurables: Height: 5’ 10”, Weight: 207 lbs., Arm: 29 ⅛”, Hand: 9”, 40-Yard Dash: 4.54s, 10-Yard Split: 1.57s, Vertical Jump: 35”, Bench Press: 18 Reps
- Rookie Statistics: 16 Games (8 Starts), 196 Attemps for 703 Yards (3.60 Y/A). 2 Rushing TDs, 24 Receptions on 36 Targets for 208 Yards (11.9 Y/R), 3 Receiving TDs
- Grade: A
Some draft picks are more than just the statistics they tally up, more than just a few highlights to watch on YouTube. Some draft picks, like RB Woody Marks out of USC, are bound for much more than just impressive rushing totals. Due to an
ever-mysterious injury to starting RB Joe Mixon and veteran signee Nick Chubb performing average at best, Marks was to become one of the unlikely heroes of his team, punching above his weight as a rookie and assuming the bellcow-back duties on an offense that was in desperate need of some stability.
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However, this praise isn’t to mean to give the impression that I believe Woody Marks was truly ground-breaking. His 703 total rushing yards at 3.6 yards per attempt are decent, unexceptional regular season stats, but much of the same can be said about Houston’s offense in general. Houston won primarily through defense, getting enough offensive production to squeak by their opponents, mostly via mediocre blocking, quarterbacking, and rushing. WR Nico Collins being the only pro-bowler further illustrates the disaparity between them and the team’s defense, but even with their shortcomings, an offense like Houston’s without a tailback like Woody Marks would have been truly catastrophic. Without him to take the heat off of QBs CJ Stroud and Davis Mills, the entire offense might have collapsed before a mid-season rally could even begin. And who was one of the leaders of that midseason rally? None other than Woody Marks, winning the starting job in week 10 and gaining over 60 yards from scrimmage in the 5 of the final 8 games of the regular season.
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By the end of the regular season, Marks had established himself as the lead back despite being a rookie, and then pushed himself even further in the wildcard round, gashing the Pittsburgh Steelers defense to his first 100+ yard rushing performances of his rookie career. Houston’s blocking and Marks’ rushing improved week after week, but against the Steelers in the wildcard round, they finally had a game where they completely took over.
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The hot-streak Marks was on would unfortunately come crashing down in the cold winds of New England, finishing the game with 14 carries for just 17 yards (1.2 Y/A). This ugly divisional-round showcase was not the first time he had been humbled, either. Marks was very disappointing against the Tennessee Titans in week 11 – when Texans fans everywhere were desperate for him to come to the aid of Davis Mills – and he was also largely ineffective against the Kansas City Chiefs until the fourth quarter. If a defender is able to wrap him up and deliver a solid hit, Woody Marks will probably go down. But, if kept clean, he can chew up yards in a hurry and make opposing linebackers pay for even the smallest mistake. He has what it takes to be a starting-caliber running back in the NFL, but I still believe Woody Marks is missing a bowling-ball of a teammate that can shoulder more of the rushes in between the tackles, his weakest spot when carrying the ball. A starter in the fourth round, though? That’s worth at least an A!
Pick 6: Round 6 (187th Overall) – S Jaylen Reed, Penn State
- Measurables: Height: 6’ 0”, Weight: 211 lbs., 40-Yard Dash: 4.49s, 10-Yard Split: 1.51s, Vertical Jump: 33.5” Bench Press: 19 Reps
- Rookie Statistics: 7 Games (1 Start), 14 Tackles, 1 Fumble Recovery, 59.9 Defensive PFF Grade (71.3 Run Defense, 42.8 Tackling, 55.8 Coverage), 113 snaps on Special Teams (27 Kick Return, 31 Kickoff Coverage, 26 Punt Return, 6 Punt Coverage, 23 Field Goal Block), 1 Missed Tackle, 49.8 Special Teams PFF Grade
- Grade: B-
Say what you will about Nick Caserio, he and his staff are truly exceptional at identifying and developing defensive backs. CB Derek Stingley, CB Kamari Lassiter, and S Jalen Pitre are the highlights of the bunch and were clearly stars before going pro, but other DBs have left their mark on Houston’s renaissance, such as S Calen Bullock, S Eric Murray, CB Tavierre Thomas, and CB/S Myles Bryant. Rookie S Jaylen Reed is already threatening to be the latest quality Houston DB, but it’s still a little early to call him a great pick considering his professional experience amounting to just 113 snaps on special teams and 173 on defense. When he’s on the field though, he seems to be attracted to the ball carrier like a magnet! At his best, Reed is clearly fast enough to keep up with NFL players and is able to follow the play with Pitre-esque vision, a stunning development for a late-round rookie. Were you expecting Houston to find a safety in the 6th round that has enough juice to stop opposing rushers in their tracks
and play coverage well enough to fluster Aaron Rodgers and Drake Maye? Me neither, so this, at minimum, has to be a pretty solid selection, despite Reed’s limited availability.
Back in
my midseason grades, I said of Reed immediately following the Buffalo Bills game, which was his first playing the majority of snaps on defense:
Seeing as he was purely average in his first action on defense, I’ve decided to give him a grade right down the middle: a C. He didn’t excel in coverage and overpursued to the point of opening rushing lanes for the ball carrier, but, in a similar fashion to Davis Mills, did his job sufficiently enough to not be a liability to the defense.
Fortunately, Reed improved his performance in coverage following this review I made back in November, but not before
suffering an injury to his forearm in week 12 that placed him on IR until the playoffs. Upon returning to the lineup right before wildcard game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Reed appeared as a defender more aware of his positioning on the field and a bit more stickier in pass coverage. Even though it’s one game, Reed was a real playmaker against the Patriots, and even though he gives up a touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs in the play below, his effort on the play deserves recognition:
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Stefon Diggs, one of the best wide receivers playing in the NFL right now and usually a very sure-handed target, had to fight to maintain possession of that ball the whole way down to the wet turf. Reed may have been a hair too late on this play, but he looks a heck of a lot closer to starting-caliber than he did just a couple months ago. And, besides his coverage abilities, Reed also flashed some of the run-defense instincts that made him a star in college, tracking down Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson and delivering a nice follow-up hit after Jalen Pitre delivered the initial pop on the back:
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Still, it’s clear that Jaylen Reed has a long way to go until the Texans can consider him a plus-starter on the nation’s best defense. He’s reading opposing offenses quickly, but not quickly enough to be the first tackler on his team, and when Reed does prepare to tackle, he’s prone to missing. Despite that, Reed’s quick acclimation to NFL speed has earned him some fans inside the facility, and he’ll definitely be in the running for that open safety spot even though he was one of Houston’s last selections in the draft. If his fantastic senior season as a do-it-all DB for Penn State is any indication, Jaylen Reed should only improve as he continues to get a feel for his role on the team. Not too shabby for a sixth-round pick!
Pick 7: Round 6 (197th Overall) – QB Graham Mertz, Florida
- Measurables: Height: 6’ 3”, Weight: 212 lbs., Arm: 31 ¼”, Hand: 9 ¾”
- Rookie Statistics: N/A
- Rookie Preseason Statistics: 3 Games (1 Start), 173 total snaps, 23 completions on 32 attempts (71.9 Cmp%), 174 Yards (5.4 YPA), 1 TD, 3 INTs, 1 Sack, 56.0 Passer Rating, 78.1 PFF Grade
- 2024 Senior Statistics (Florida): 5 Games, 72 Completions on 94 Attempts (76.6%); 791 Yards; 6 Touchdowns; 2 Interceptions; 8.73 AY/A; 73.7 PFF (Season cut short due to ACL tear)
- 2023 Junior Statistics (Florida): 11 Games; 261 Completions on 358 Attempts (72.9%); 2,903 Yards; 20 Touchdowns; 3 Interceptions; 8.85 AY/A; 75.8 PFF
- Grade: N/A
Some football fans (like me) believe that a team should take a quarterback in the draft every single year. That single position is the most important of all on the field, and one injury to that group can put the entire season in jeopardy. No other player touches the football more than the quarterback, so you might as well try to get as many great quarterbacks as you can – without breaking the bank, of course. To avoid allocating too much of the team’s cap space to a position where only one player is on the field at a time, the best place to look for multiple capable quarterbacks is the NFL draft. Enter the one-time Wisconsin Badger, one-time Florida Gator, Graham Mertz, a true wildcard of the 2025 Draft.
Mertz is not going to knock your socks off, but he is an experienced college quarterback with NFL size and traits, who should be seen as an opportunity for the Texans rather than a liability considering Davis Mills’ recent body of work. In college, Mertz had his ups and downs and had his final year cut short by a
torn ACL, but was quite the accurate and speedy decision maker in his last (mostly) full collegiate year in 2023, which was also shortened due to a
fractured collarbone. Traits similar to current 49ers QB Brock Purdy but without the experience, Mertz remains an intriguing young QB worth developing for the Houston Texans, but his injuries warrant some trepidation. Additionally his lackluster stretches against Kentucky and Utah in 2023 lay bare his most apparent limitations: a lack of arm-strength, a tendency to lock on to his first read, and a slow throwing motion.
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The vast majority of Mertz’s pass attempts while at Florida were either within 10 yards or behind the line of scrimmage, and when the play demanded he push the ball further downfield, Mertz would really need to step into his throw to get 15+ yards downfield in a hurry. Most of time, however, Mertz was disposing of the ball quickly and decisively to a receiver or tight end running either directly in front of him or along the line of scrimmage, and through this offense, he excelled.
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Much like Davis Mills in college, Mertz was best when he could play on-script and within a clean pocket. However, Mertz does not have the advantage of Davis Mills’ armstrength, and while he partially makes up for it in with some more athleticism, being unable to chuck the ball 20-30 yards downfield at a moment’s notice will be a major issue for Mertz to overcome at the professional level. QBs like Purdy and Joe Burrow have somehow been able to miraculously improve their arm strength after going pro, so it’s not impossible for Mertz to become an NFL-level quick shooter, but there was a reason he fell all the way to the sixth round. Right now, I’ll keep my grade at N/A for Mertz, but if he fails to impress this coming preseason, he’ll be a cut candidate in no time.
Pick 8: Round 7 (224th Overall) – DT Kyonte Hamilton, Rutgers
- Measurables: Height: 6’3”, Weight: 300 lbs., Arm: 32”, Hand: 9”, 40-Yard Dash: 5.02s, 20-Yard Split: 2.87s, 10-Yard Split: 1.70s, Vertical Jump: 29”
- Rookie Statistics: N/A
- 2024 Senior Statistics (Rutgers): 13 Games, 36 Tackles, 5 Tackles for loss, 4.0 Sacks, 18 Hurries, 1 Forced Fumble, 649 Defensive Snaps, 81.3 PFF (74.9 RDEF, 79.6 PRSH)
- Grade: N/A
Like CB Jaylin Smith, I find it difficult to give DT Kyonte Hamilton any sort of grade considering he missed his entire rookie season due to requiring
surgery on a broken ankle back in August. Hamilton entered the NFL as a little-known prospect out of Rutgers whose inexperience in NFL-like systems puts him at an inherent disadvantage. Back in April, I had
this to say of Hamilton:
He became a three-year starter on the defensive line for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, having a breakout career in 2024 and earning honorable All-Big Ten recognition. He lined up both at tackle and defensive end, getting production from both positions. He plays with impressive short-area burst, but lacks the skillset required to win consistently in the NFL. He’s a very, very raw prospect, one that may not be able to keep up with the rest of the roster, but I can’t help but root for him since he reminds me of one of Caserio’s last draft selections last year: Auburn DL Marcus Harris.
Checking out Kyonte Hamilton’s performances against UCLA and Illinois in 2024 will give you a chance to witness the raw strength and burst he employs to win the snap on his first step. When Hamilton finds even a small edge against an opposing offensive lineman, he launches himself like a wrecking ball at that exploit, with his pounding legs keeping the pressure on. Against Illinois, he demonstrated a mighty spin move to find the edge inside the line early, as well as an instinct to track down the quarterback while he’s navigating a muddy pocket.
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But, in the same game, you’ll find Illinois’ interior linemen wrapping him up and bouncing him off the play through sheer length and size. Hamilton is a big player, but the opposing linemen will only get bigger and longer in the NFL, so the odds will be stacked against him while he recovers from a serious ankle injury during his sophomore campaign. Until he proves that the wrecking-ball mentality will work in the NFL, I will try to limit my expectations of Hamilton in the event he does, in fact, become another Marcus Harris.
Pick 9: Round 7 (255th Overall) – Luke Lachey, Iowa
- Measurables: Height: 6’ 6”, Weight: 251 lbs., Arm: 32 ⅛”, Hand: 10”, Vertical Jump: 35”, Broad Jump: 10’, 3-Cone Drill: 7.18s, 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.47s
- Rookie Statistics: N/A
- Rookie Preseason Statistics: 99 Snaps, 5 Catches on 6 Targets for 21 Yards (4.2 Y/REC), 48.0 Offensive PFF Grade.
- Grade: F
I expect a lot out of my favorite sports teams. Three straight divisional round appearances with a young quarterback and head coach isn’t good enough. A 12-5 season isn’t good enough. And, a seventh round tight end not even appearing in a regular season contest is, for no good reason on my end, not good enough. Seventh round picks are the pot-shots of general managers trying to find a diamond in the rough, and they usually result in disappointment. A significant amount of seventh-round selections are cut before they even appear in a regular season game, and many more will go on to only have a career spanning 2-4 years. You’d think that these considerations would have tempered my expectations for Luke Lachey, but they didn’t!
Following TE Brevin Jordan’s
injury during training camp, the Texans quickly signaled their desperation to shore up the position group by
trading for former Eagles TE Harrison Bryant,
cutting him, then
re-signing him, and then
signing former Cleveland Browns TE Brenden Bates on September 17th. Nick Caserio and the Texans’ front office were clearly in dire need for better depth in the tight ends’ room, which doesn’t bode well for the rookie, Luke Lachey. Experience often has the advantage over raw talent, but injuries at that position could have pushed Lachey onto the field, but he never even made it off of the practice squad during the regular season. He was
signed to a reserve/future contract just a few weeks ago, so the Texans are clearly intent on keeping him for longer than just a year, but he will likely remain on the practice squad.
Back in April,
I wrote of Lachey:
[Lachey was] an effective people mover for [Iowa’s] outside-zone scheme. Additionally, he’s shown some position flexibility as an H-back and flashes of a better receiver than the chances he was given, but his lack of speed and physicality in that respect holds him back from being a real slam-dunk prospect. He’s a natural receiver with a good catch radius, but his lack of speed gives him a ceiling, with little room besides being a short yardage target underneath the passing game.
Actually been thinking about Luke Lachey & his development everyday since the season ended.
Hopefully put on some weight/muscle & can contribute this year. And now his new TE coach’s dad coached him all 5 years at Iowa
https://t.co/dh1CDqgchZ
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter)
February 14, 2026
In preseason action, Lachey had a handful of nice blocking snaps, but was largely underutilized in his first NFL action. Injuries to his position did not grant him an opportunity to get back on the field, so unfortunately, I have to grade him as such. Maybe Lachey will be able to turn it around in year 2, but with more tight ends likely to enter NRG stadium after the 2026 NFL Draft, I have my doubts about Lachey’s position on the team.
Overall Draft Grade: A-
And that’s the list! In my preseason grades, I gave the draft an overall grade of B+, but because of Woody Marks and Jayden Higgins growth on the offense in the second half of the season, as well as Jaylen Reed’s brief stint as a starting safety, I think this class deserves a bump up in letter grade. This rookie class doesn’t have the moxy of a Will Anderson or a Kamari Lassiter, but it does have a bevy of talented athletes at thin positions on Houston’s roster. The Texans shed a lot of starters on offense during free agency last year, so it was crucial that they nailed their draft picks on offense this year, for the sake of Houston’s short and long-term viability as a Super Bowl contender. Considering how thin the Texans were specifically at LT and RB, it’s a small miracle that Aireontae Ersery and Woody Marks played well enough to keep the offense winning until mid-January. They’re currently my favorite players in this draft class, but Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, and/or Jaylen Reed (gimme
all the Jaylens!) could end up becoming the stars of this group by the time the dust has settled. There is a wide range of good picks at important positions in this draft class, and I don’t think there are any completely nonsensical selections. Given the opportunity for this rookie class to get even better depending on how well the Jaylens/Jaylins develop over time, I think I have to call this one of my favorite drafts of the Nick Caserio era. It’s almost impossible to compare any draft class to 2023 class, which starts with CJ Stroud and Will Anderson, but if I had to pick another draft class, I think it might be the 2025 Houston Texans.
What do you think, though? Will Jayden Higgins, Aireontae Ersery, and the other 2025 capable of getting the Texans over the hump, or was the 2025 draft class disappointing? Is there a specific player that Nick Caserio skipped on drafting that the team should have targeted? Would the Texans made the Super Bowl if they drafted TreVeyon Henderson instead of Woody Marks? Let us know your final thoughts on the 2025 Texans draft class down in the comments below!
Go Texans!!!
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