Tag: Texans receiver

Michigan WR Roman Wilson would ‘love’ to play with C.J. Stroud and Texans

In an exclusive interview with Texans Wire, former Michigan receiver Roman Wilson reveals his thoughts on former rival C.J. Stroud.

Could the Houston Texans still draft a receiver?

The AFC South champions acquired Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills. His addition should create potentially the best receiving trio in football alongside 2023 breakout star Nico Collins and second-year standout Tank Dell.

Questions still have persisted if the Texans could opt to add a young, cost-controlled talent in a loaded receiver draft class.

One potential option is Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson. The Swiss-army knife target thrived during his four seasons in Ann Arbor, but broke out in 2023 with 12 touchdowns and 789 receiving yards en route to a national championship.

Most scouts consider him to be one of the top receivers in the class. and expect him to hear his name called somewhere on Day 2 of next week’s draft.

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At Michigan, Wilson faced then-Ohio State and now Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud twice. In both installments of “The Game,” Michigan walked away victorious.

Wilson, however, came away impressed with the rival passer. While enemies in college, Wilson would have no reservations about the idea of teaming up with the Buckeye legend.

“He’s a phenomenal quarterback, he’s a follower of God,” Wilson told Texans Wire of Stroud. “I remember in his commitment process, he was thinking about going to Michigan and and I kind of got to meet him for a little bit, talked to him. I mean, he’s a great guy and you know, I would love to play for him.”

Wilson would love to command the slot as Stroud’s next big target in Houston. The Texans’ quarterback piloted what many consider the best rookie quarterback season in NFL history while capturing NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and helping the Texans to an AFC South title and a playoff victory.

To his credit, Houston may very well have shared interest in Wilson. The team was present at the 2024 Reeses’ Senior Bowl where he dominated and they’ve shown a history of drafting Senior Bowl players, with Dell, Jarrett Patterson, and Xavier Hutchinson last year. Additionally, Wilson confirmed he spoke with Houston last month in Indianapolis.

“We talked a little bit,” Wilson said before dropping an inescapable caveat. “That was before they got Diggs. So I mean whatever happens, happens and I would love to play for the Texans”

It may be unlikely for Houston to invest the level of draft capital they’d need to secure Wilson after the heavy investment to bring Diggs from Buffalo. Still, the national champion would be an undeniable asset to the organization and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

Diggs, who completed his sixth 1,000-yard season between Buffalo and Minnesota, could be a one-and-done in The Loop. Houston voided the final three years of his contract, adding an extra $3.5 million to his current contract this upcoming season.

Maybe Wilson is on the shortlist of players whom Nick Caserio would pull the trigger to acquire. If so, two former Big Ten rivals could be fixtures in the AFC South for years to come.

Wilson recently partnered with Six Star Pro Nutrition, to help launch their new protein shake in Kellogg’s Froot Loops cereal flavor. The cereal flavored product, which launches this month, will be available exclusively at Sam’s Clubs locations. He took time to talk with the Texans Wire about his new partnership and his recruitment process as it relates to the Houston Texans.

Fans will have to wait and see if Houston is willing to throw further accelerant on their offense and add a dynamic talent like Wilson on Day 2. In the meantime, they may have to check out Sam’s Club if they want to see just how Wilson has prepared for the moment.

Texans vs. Cardinals Friday injury report: WR Nico Collins a full go

The Houston Texans will have WR Nico Collins for Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Houston Texans released their final injury report Friday ahead of their Week 11 showdown with the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium.

S Grayland Arnold (calf), LB Jake Hansen (hand/hamstring), LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion), S Jimmie Ward (hamstring), and RB Dameon Pierce (ankle) were ruled out. Pierce was the only one who upgraded from non-participant to limited participation on Friday.

DE Will Anderson (knee) and WR Noah Brown (knee) were listed as questionable and did not participate. DE Dylan Horton was a full participant in practice and also had a questionable designation.

WR Nico Collins (calf), TE Brevin Jordan (foot), and OT George Fant (hip) were full participants in practice.

DT Kurt Hinish (knee), G-T Tytus Howard (knee), and TE Dalton Schultz (hamstring), LT Laremy Tunsil (knee), WR Robert Woods, FB Andrew Beck (ankle/elbow/shoulder), DE Jonathan Greenard (shoulder), OT Charlie Heck (back), DE Jerry Hughes (back), and CB Steven Nelson (back/neck) remained full participants for the third straight day.

For Arizona, S Joey Blount (knee), RB Emari Demercado (toe), DL Jonathan Ledbetter (shoulder), and WR Zach Pascal (hamstring) were ruled out.

OL Trystan Colon (calf), OL D.J. Humphries (ankle), DL Kevin Strong (knee), LB Ezekiel Turner (hamstring), and WR Michael Wilson (shoulder) were all given the questionable designation.

For more information on the Cardinals’ injury report, check out the Cards Wire.

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Texans WR Nico Collins teams up with Boys & Girls Clubs of Houston to provide Thanksgiving meals

Houston Texans receiver Nico Collins partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Houston to provide meals.

Nico Collins has been an avid supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Houston.

According to senior director of development Shannon Woodruff, the former 2021 third-round receiver showed initiative as soon as he became a member of the Houston Texans.

“He reached out and said he wanted to provide meals to our families, and it felt like a perfect match for this holiday season,” Woodruff said.

For Collins, partnering The Chosen Foundation to help host a Thanksgiving impact event at the the Morefield Location brought him back to humble beginnings in Birmingham, Alabama.

 

“I have sat here before; I was in their shoes,” said Collins. “I know what it feels like to go through everyday uncertainty, not knowing what the next day is going to bring, not knowing how you are going to get your next meal. So just coming out here and doing this for them, you never know what they are going through. It is wonderful to be a part of, and it is wonderful to do. I am grateful for this, and I am going to continue to do it and give back to the city as much as I can.”

While Collins handed out meals to the underserved, the subject of the Texans’ two-game winning streak wasn’t overlooked. A calf injury nixed Collins for the first time this season, but the 24-year-old is anxious to return against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11 Sunday.

“I am getting ready for this week and ready to be back out there with the fellas so we can keep this train rolling,” Collins told reporters. “We are getting ready for AZ this week and keeping our foot on the gas and continue to be great.”

The former Michigan product is having a career season with 631 yards receiving on 36 receptions and four touchdowns. Collins ranks in the top-20 in the NFL in yards after catch, averaging 17.5 yards.

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Texans’ James Liipfert identifies WR Tank Dell’s biggest trait

Houston Texans asst. director of player personnel James Liipfert identified the trait that jumped out to them regarding WR Tank Dell.

The University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium and NRG Stadium are almost 10 miles away from each other. It may be the shortest scouting trip for the Houston Texans.

The offensive explosion orchestrated by quarterback Clayton Tune and wideout Tank Dell wasn’t going unnoticed as far as the Texans were unconcerned. The Cougars generated 455.8 yards total offense with Dell catching 113 for 1,407 yards and 17 touchdowns.

However, it wasn’t until the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in the beginning of February that Texans assistant director of player personnel James Liipfert start to recognize Dell’s best trait.

“One thing that Tank did which really showed itself I would say at the Senior Bowl was just how well he separated as a route runner,” Liipfert told reporters Nov. 9. “Tank is very, very quick and very sudden. Everyone likes to watch the one-on-ones and that kind of thing, but just the amount of separation he was getting out of his cuts and creating windows.”

The Texans selected Dell in the third round with the confidence what he had shown with the Cougars would translate to the NFL.

Said Liipfert: “I would just say his speed out of cuts, his ability to separate with his quickness in addition to a lot of other things, but I would those couple of things are at the top of the list as far as positive traits that he had that we really liked and kind of made him attractive to us to draft.”

Dell has given rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud a weapon through the first eight games. The 5-10, 165-pound receiver has caught 28 passes for 454 yards and four touchdowns on the season.

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Texans pick SEC receiver in latest Draft Wire 2-round mock

The Houston Texans go with a South Carolina wideout in the latest two-round mock from Draft Wire.

The Houston Texans are embarking on a memorable run with quarterback C.J. Stroud playing above his rookie status and receivers such as Nico Collins and Noah Brown having career seasons. Even rookie Tank Dell’s weekly development provides optimism as to the future.

Nevertheless football is about projection as much as it is living in the moment, and the Texans have to keep looking ahead, even as it involves positions of strength.

According to Jeff Risdon from The Draft Wire, who released a two-round mock, the Texans use their No. 23 overall pick to take South Carolina wideout Xavier Legette in the 2024 NFL draft.

Legette almost looks like a tight end with his size, but he’s got a lot of A.J. Brown to his game. Adding around C.J. Stroud seems like a smart way for GM Nick Caserio to roll here.

In terms of young receivers under contract, the Texans would be packed. Next season will be the last year for Collins. Not only will Dell enter his second season, but so will sixth-rounder Xavier Hutchinson. The Texans will also have the third year with John Metchie. If Houston added Legette, they could fully phase into a younger receiving corps all on their rookie contracts.

If the Texans wanted to go defense, a nearby defender that might make sense is Miami defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, who goes No. 25 overall to the Seattle Seahawks. The 6-2, 305-pounder could be an effective replacement depending on where the team sits with Sheldon Rankins and Hassan Ridgeway at the end of the season.

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Why Texans WR Noah Brown should be considered as a Week 10 waiver wire pickup

Houston Texans receiver Noah Brown would make sense as a waiver wire pickup in fantasy football.

The Houston Texans have their quarterback in place with C.J. Stroud. The No. 2 overall pick showed he can bless fantasy football teams with his 470-yard, five-touchdown performance last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Stroud has quickly slid into the safe category for starters.

The Texans’ receiving corps is also becoming more of a sure option in fantasy.

According to Natalie Miller from the Touchdown Wire, Houston receiver Noah Brown qualifies as her third-best waiver wire option in Week 10.

Noah Brown has seen a major uptick in usage over the last two weeks, and during quarterback C.J. Stroud’s incredible game Brown became a huge piece of the offensive puzzle. With 153 yards and a touchdown on six catches, it’s likely that Brown will continue to be in the mix of an offense that is looking to air it our with their exciting new rookie. Brown is a boom or bust addition, but the upside is there.

Brown get even more attention than in Week 9 as the Texans will be without receiver Nico Collins against the Cincinnati Bengals. A greater emphasis will be on wideouts Tank Dell, Robert Woods, and Brown to attack Cincinnati’s secondary.

In the two games prior to Brown’s career day, the former Dallas Cowboys 2017 seventh-round pick posted yards per receptions of 19.0 and 18.5, indicating his ability to produce chunk plays.

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Career game from Texans WR Noah Brown earned top PFF grade

Houston Texans receiver Noah Brown picked up recognition from Pro Football Focus for his career game in Week 9.

While the Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did well to add more verses to the ballad of C.J. Stroud, the 39-37 thriller was also very productive for Houston Texans receivers.

According to Lauren Gray from Pro Football Focus, Noah Brown was the highest graded receiver on the Texans in their comeback against the Bucs.

Houston won a hard-fought battle against Tampa Bay to improve to 4-4 on the season. C.J. Stroud set a rookie passing record with 470 yards, and three Texans finished with 100-yard receiving games. Brown led the way with a career-high 153 receiving yards. All of his first down gains came in the second half, including three explosive gains for 134 yards. Brown recorded 106 yards from 20-plus yards downfield (second) and 148 total yards in the second half (first). He also finished with a perfect target rating for the week.

What helped Brown post career numbers was a 75-yard catch wherein rookie Tank Dell sprung a block that allowed Brown to continue streaking down the left sideline. The one-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with 12:32 to go in the third quarter pulled Houston within four, 20-16.

On the season, Brown has caught 14 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown through four games, one of which he has started.

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EXCLUSIVE: Texans’ Tank Dell reveals his ‘receiver talk’ with former Panthers WR Steve Smith

Houston Texans receiver Tank Dell told @bigsargesportz what he and former Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith discussed.

All eyes were on C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young in Week 8 at Bank of America Stadium, but Tank Dell was all ears.

The Houston Texans’ third-round receiver had a chance to visit with former Carolina Panthers wideout Steve Smith ahead of the Texans’ tilt with Carolina in Week 8 on Oct. 29. The Texans’ social media captured Dell taking in instruction from a two-time All-Pro, a conversation that went for seven minutes during pre-game.

One can only wonder why Smith sought Dell out. Perhaps it could be the undersized Smith, who played the game at 5-9, 195 pounds, saw similarities with the 5-10, 165-pound Dell.

“That is between me and him,” Smith told the Texans Wire with a massive smile. “If you want to know, ask him, but I will tell you that it was receiver talk and two sponges soaking in knowledge from one another. He is going to be very good if he stays on his grind.”

Dell didn’t have his best game as the Panthers edged Houston 15-13. However, it only took a week for Dell to synchronize the advice and wisdom from Smith and apply it to the gridiron as part of the Texans’ comeback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The former Houston Cougar caught six passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns, including the 15-yard strike to give Houston the 39-37 lead with 48 seconds left.

After the thriller against the Bucs that delivered Houston a 4-4 record, Dell was forthcoming to the Texans Wire as to what Smith shared a week prior.

“We talked about route running,” Dell said. “He told me about press releases and being a dog on every play. You know how he was during his playing days. He was telling me what I can get better.”

Dell led the NCAA Div. I with 17 touchdowns and 1,398 receiving yards last season, and Smith took notice. The 16-year NFL veteran, who spent his final three with the Baltimore Ravens, summarized Dell’s traits on his eponymous podcast ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

Said Smith: “His explosiveness, his RAC (run after catch), and he does a great job of setting up defenders and dynamic with the ball in his hands. He makes you think, ‘Where is Tank Dell’ at on the field. He has the ability to run away from defenders; he has the ability to beat press coverage. He also has the field awareness that you really want out of your wide receiver. He is a Tank.”

Not only has Dell garnered praise from other former NFL players, but inside his locker room, the accolades flow from his position group and offensive coordinators, and rightfully so, as he is only second to Texans Ring of Honor member Andre Johnson (495) in rookie receiving yards with 454 through their first seven games played.

While Dell is putting his name in the stat sheet, the rookie is finding other ways to help the offense without the ball.

On the first offensive play from scrimmage for Houston in the third quarter, Stroud completed a pass to wide receiver Noah Brown. While trying to avoid defenders, Dell put a massive block on the Bucs’ safety to create a clear path for Brown to the end zone.

“Cut on the tape, and I don’t think Tank knows he is that size,” Brown told reporters about Dell playing above his stature. “He is willing to go in there and do whatever it is he has to do, and I respect him for that, and I appreciate that. He is special; he will go across the middle and make a catch or throw a block. He is in there doing what he has to do.”

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WATCH: Texans QB C.J. Stroud throws TD pass to Tank Dell against the Buccaneers

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed a 29-yard touchdown to receiver Tank Dell in Week 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

C.J. Stroud continued to display his growth as a quarterback, not only from game to game, but within a game.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik shared with reporters earlier in the week how the team works with in-game adjustments.

“It’s just in-game adjustment stuff, and then outside of that, you kind of give them a heads up of what to look forward to on the next drive so we can start to visualize,” said Slowik.

The Houston Texans were able to count on their No. 2 overall pick to move the offense as Stroud completed a 29-yard touchdown pass to receiver Tank Dell to cap off a six-play, 79-yard drive Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9 at NRG Stadium.

Dell caught his third touchdown pass on the season.

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WATCH: Texans QB C.J. Stroud throws TD pass to WR Nico Collins against the Bucs

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud hit receiver Nico Collins for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud knows part of his role involves team morale.

Earlier in the week, Stroud highlighted that part of his job is to keep spirits high.

“My job is to keep the mojo on the team up, and I feel like I’m trying to do my best with that, and we’re taking steps in that direction,” Stroud said.

One way to elevate team morale is through deeds, and Stroud was dealing Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium against the Tampa Buccaneers. The rookie completed a 14-yard touchdown to receiver Nico Collins to give Houston a 7-3 lead with 9:14 to go in the first quarter.

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