Jaylin Noel

Houston took Noel in the third round, 79th overall, after drafting Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins with the 36th overall pick. Both are promising prospects coming off 1,000-yard seasons and strong combine workouts, but they'll have to fight for playing time in an offense that already has veteran wideouts Nico Collins and Christian Kirk. At 5-foot-10, 194 pounds, Noel may look the part of a slot receiver, but he's more than athletic enough to get a shot on the perimeter, having posted a 4.39 40, 41.5-inch vertical and 134-inch broad jump at the combine. He's a bit older than average for a rookie, turning 23 in September, but it's not a huge concern given that he was a four-year contributor in college who improved his numbers in every major receiving category (including yards per catch) with each passing year. Houston's solid depth at wide receiver makes Noel more interesting for dynasty leagues than he is for redraft, but he's at least someone to keep in mind in case Collins or Kirk misses significant time. Kirk has been ruled out for Week 1 with a hamstring injury, which could result in Noel getting ample snaps in the slot while fellow rookie Jayden Higgins fills in for Kirk opposite Collins. Read Past Outlooks