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It’s normal for Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel to be smiling from ear to ear, but this grin was bigger than usual because he had just found out about Brock Purdy’s contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers.
Noel caught passes from Purdy during his freshman year at Iowa State. After the 2021 collegiate season, Purdy went on to have one of the most remarkable stories in NFL history, going from the last pick in the draft to starting in a Super Bowl to receiving a five-year, $265 million pay day.
“That’s my guy,” Noel says. “I’m happy for him. He deserves it. To be Mr. Irrelevant, as they say, to be the last pick in the draft, to be now one of the highest-paid players in the league, it’s a very cool moment for him. I’m proud of him.”
Noel often remembered Purdy’s inspiring story to help him in his journey to become a pro football player. Then again, knowing that Purdy was a seventh-round pick didn’t help calm Noel’s nerves while he waited for a phone call from an NFL team during the draft last month.
But Noel didn’t have to wait that long, landing with the Texans as a third-round pick, which was surprising to Noel, because his new team had just drafted fellow Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins in the second round.
Earlier this month, at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere, Noel sat down with Sports Illustrated to discuss teaming up with Higgins again to become C.J. Stroud’s new targets. Noel also shared why Iowa State continues to produce star athletes.
Sports Illustrated: The NFLPA Rookie Premiere is all about connections and businesses, sponsorships and maybe a little about life after football in terms of what you want to do. What’s been your biggest takeaway so far from being here?
Jaylin Noel: Really, just meeting all these brands and being able to market myself is something that’s a big opportunity for me. Obviously, going into the NFL, you want to get your name out there and be known. To be able to meet brands, such as doing an interview for Sports Illustrated and meeting the other brands around here is a super cool opportunity. You get to show your personality, show these brands who you are, so they want to reach out to you.
SI: Do you feel like you got practice with that in the predraft process, because you have a bunch of meetings with teams that want to get to know you? You get coaches, GMs and scouts, they all want to get to know you and meet you.
JN: Yeah, you gotta be able to sell yourself in a way. To be able to put a smile on, which I feel like I’m always smiling anyway, just to be able to talk to certain people and knowing how to talk to them, and just having fun with it.
SI: I’m assuming you’re smiling a little more because your former Iowa State teammate, Brock Purdy, just got paid by the San Francisco 49ers.
JN: Oh, yeah, that’s my guy. I’m happy for him. He deserves it. To be Mr. Irrelevant, as they say, to be the last pick in the draft, to be now one of the highest-paid players in the league, it’s a very cool moment for him. I’m proud of him. Hopefully, I’ll be able to see him at some point soon to congratulate him.
SI: Seeing him go from the last pick in the draft, to starting a Super Bowl to now getting a contract extension, was Purdy a source of motivation for you at Iowa State?
JN: It shows you what hard work means, honestly. Knowing him, he’s a very consistent person. He’s really a role model for all the guys at Iowa State. Being able to put in the work and make strides that not a lot of people have done, it gives guys hope and an idea of what hard work can get you, for sure.
SI: So when you’re still on the draft board on Day 2, was it relaxing to know that Purdy went in the seventh round and still had success in the NFL, or was it still nerve-wracking waiting until the third round?
JN: I mean, there’s always going to be pressure, nerves. You always want your name called sooner than it is, but it’s just a blessing to hear your name called, because there are a lot of guys who hope to hear their name called and, unfortunately, it doesn’t happen. For it to happen to me, it was definitely a blessing and something I wouldn’t forget.
SI: Did you think Houston wasn’t an option because the Texans took your Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins in the second round?
JN: Yeah, for sure. When I seen they took him, it was crazy. For them to call me, it was [GM] Nick Caserio with the Texans, my mind was just blown because I was like, ‘I’m going to team up with my guy again.’ It was a super cool moment.
SI: I’m assuming you were already with family, was your first phone call after hanging up with the Texans, was it with Jayden Higgins?
JN: Yeah, it actually was. He called me pretty soon after that. We were just very excited to be able to team up with each other again. With the bond we grew at Iowa State for the two years that we did play together, and to be able to continue that, it’s going to be very cool.
SI: Iowa State has had a good amount of NFL players with you, Higgins, Brock Purdy, Breece Hall and Will McDonald IV, but what’s coach Matt Campbell doing right out there to help you guys get to the next level?
JN: He’s really just creating men, not only on the field, but off the field. He’s teaching us how to go about our process, how to take care of ourselves, honestly. He does a great job of that, and he’s a player’s coach. Everybody wants to play for him and he connects with people. He’s done a great job with that program at Iowa State. He’s creating something, for sure.
SI: You’re now with coach DeMeco Ryans with the Texans. How’s it been getting to know him?
JN: Great. Just like coach Campbell, he’s a player’s coach. Obviously, he played in the league for a little while with the Texans, and just the few interactions I’ve had with him, he’s been just a great person in general and brings energy every day and sets a standard in the organization. He has the Texans going in the right direction.
SI: With C.J. Stroud being from California, do you think you’ll be out here often for offseason workouts with him?
JN: Hey, if he wants me to come out here to work out with him, then that’s where I’ll be. That’s going to be my quarterback for the future and he’s a great player and has already established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the league after two years. It's going to be a cool opportunity to play with him.
SI: Watching from afar, I’m assuming you study NFL wide receivers. With Nico Collins, he seems to be very underrated for a very productive player. Do you study his game and how’s it been working with him?
JN: It’s been great. Like you said, I feel like he’s underrated, for sure. He is to me one of the top receivers in the league. Year after year, he shows why he is. But to be able to work with him is going to be very cool, just to pick his brain and see how he’s had success in the league, it’s going to be a fun experience to be alongside him.
SI: What do you like to do besides football? Any hobbies? Any other sports you played growing up?
JN: I played a few different sports growing up. I’ve always been around sports, my family is big into sports. I’m into golf. I picked up golf while I was at Iowa State. Not much to do in Ames, but they have some golf courses. It’s fun, addictive, and expensive as well.
I also like to fish. Fishing is something that takes my mind away from football, it’s very peaceful. Put a line in the water and be able to just chill out there, so that’s fun. Being able to cook with my fiancé. I recently got engaged, so I enjoy cooking with her and watching TV shows and stuff like that.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jaylin Noel Q&A: Texans Rookie WR Happy to Represent Iowa State.