While some teams put plenty of stock in NFL combine testing and pro day numbers, the Houston Texans aren’t one of them. They prefer to watch the tape and base their evaluations on the eye test, as well as weighing the overall character of a prospect.
At least in the past that was the case. Fans lost their minds after the Texans drafted cornerback Kamari Lassiter after he posted a 4.61 40-time during Georgia’s Pro Day. He ended up becoming one of the league’s top No. 2 cornerbacks opposite All-Pro Derek Stingley Jr.
In this year’s draft, it’s clear they didn’t chase after athletic prospects. They didn’t target players who had exceptionally high Relative Athletic Scores (RAS), though four of their picks did test well in the pre-draft process.
Jayden Higgins, Aireontae Ersery and Jaylin Noel are unquestionably the three best athletes in this class, but the other five players will still have golden opportunities to contribute early despite not testing well (or at all).
To get a feel for the overall athleticism of this class, the RAS cards below will show how each player tested at the combine or pro day.
Round 2, Pick 34 (Via NYG): Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
Higgins, who finished with over 1,000 yards in his final season at Iowa State, scored a 9.63 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 143 out of 3816 wide receivers from 1987 to 2025.
Round 2, Pick 48 (from LV): Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Ersery, who ran a 5.1 40-time at the combine and only allowed five sacks in over 1,300 pass-blocking snaps, scored an unofficial 9.89 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 16 out of 1379 OT from 1987 to 2025. It was also No. 2 among all offensive tackle prospects in 2025.
Round 3, Pick 79 (from MIA): Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Noel, who finished with over 1,100 yards at Iowa State and ran a 4.39 40-time at the combine, scored a 9.75 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 96 out of 3815 wide receivers from 1987 to 2025.
Round 3, Pick 97 (from MIN): Jaylin Smith, DB, USC
Smith, a do-it-all defensive back during his four seasons at USC, scored a 4.82 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1432 out of 2761 corners from 1987 to 2025.
Round 4, Pick 116 (from MIA): Woody Marks, RB, USC
Marks, who totaled over 1,400 yards of offense in his lone season with the Trojans, scored a 6.66 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 704 out of 2106 running backs from 1987 to 2025.
Round 6, Pick 187: Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State
Reed, who started three seasons for the Nittany Lions, scored a 9.08 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 112 out of 1209 free safeties from 1987 to 2025.
Round 6, Pick 197: Graham Mertz, QB, Florida
Mertz, who suffered a torn ACL in early October against Tennessee, did not qualify for a RAS due to a lack of measurements. He is expected to be cleared by the end of training camp.
Round 7, Pick 244: Kyonte Hamilton, DL, Rutgers
Hamilton scored a 9.29 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 146 out of 2033 defensive tackles from 1987 to 2025.
Lachey scored a 7.42 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 346 out of 1338 tight ends from 1987 to 2025.
Texans Draft Class RAS Score
After finishing 32nd in 2024, the Texans jump up to No. 13 overall thanks to five players ranking with a 9.1 RAS score or higher. 13. Houston finished with an 8.260 RAS over the eight players who qualified.
Just as an added bonus, here are the scores of the current undrafted players signed by Houston since the end of the draft.
Eli Cox, OL, Kentucky
Louisiana LB K.C. Ossai
West Virginia LS Austin Brinkman
North Carolina DB Alijah Huzzie
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