Unlike they have in each of the last two seasons, the Houston Texans won’t sneak up on anyone during DeMeco Ryans’ third season as the head coach of the two-time AFC South champs. Even if sportsbooks don’t necessarily agree that the Texans will contend for a Super Bowl in 2025, internally, that is exactly what the expectations are.
Even with expectations sky-high, the Houston Texans aren’t afraid of throwing rookies into the fire right out of the gate. That’s been proven each of the last two seasons, and it’s the case once again this year. Ahead of their first preseason game of the summer, the Texans have listed a pair of rookies — Jayden Higgins and Aireontae Ersery — as starters on their unofficial depth chart.
Higgins and Ersery were selected with the 34th and 48th overall picks respectively, and it’s taken the two first-year players very little time to at least earn some trust from DeMeco Ryans and the rest of the Texans coaching staff.
Aireontae Ersery Represents Much-Needed Improvement to Houston Offensive Line
No Texans position group needed more of a makeover this season than the offensive line. Second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 times during the 2024 season, the second-most of any quarterback in the entire league, and as a result, his production and efficiency suffered a major hit after a transformative rookie season.
Enter Aireontae Ersery, who allowed only five sacks in 2,300 snaps during three seasons as the starting left tackle for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. But just because Ersery was dominant in Big Ten play — including against Penn State superstar Abdul Carter last season — and is now listed as a starter in his first NFL season, it doesn’t mean the work is done. He knows it’s just begun.
“I ain’t done nothing. Ain’t done s—, pardon my French,” Ersery said, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston. “Every day, man, I’m just just trying to get better and better and better like I’m not showing up here like I’ve arrived. I know I’m a rookie. I’m trying to get better and better and these guys are helping me and guiding me the right way.”
Throughout the regular season, it’s possible that Ersery won’t be tested as consistently as he has been during Texans training camp. On a daily basis, Ryans is making sure that Ersery gets to test himself against Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, a duo that combined for 23 sacks during the 2024 season.
“Those guys are two very, very talented rushers,” Ersery said of his defensive teammates. “Danielle, he has more in his toolbox. Will, very strong young player, he’ll go speed to power on you. He can play hard every play. I’m just blessed to be able to go against those guys.”
Jayden Higgins ‘Right Where He Needs to Be’
Similar to Ersery, who DeMeco Ryans has thrown into the fire against one of the best pass-rushing tandems in the NFL, Jayden Higgins has had the opportunity to make an early impression against a secondary that may be the most talented in the entire league. The big-bodied wideout has been standing out, making big plays and handling himself like a pro during training camp.
“He’s right where he needs to be,” Ryans told reporters last week, per Cole Thompson of Texans Wire. “For me, I’m not comparing him to anyone else. Just for him and where he is, Jayden is doing a nice job and he’s improving every day. That’s all I can ask of him.”
With a short-handed wide receivers room entering the season without Tank Dell, who will likely be out for the entire 2025 campaign following a devastating season-ending injury in December, Higgins and fellow Iowa State Cyclone rookie receiver Jaylin Noel each entered their first summer with the Texans with a chance to grab the starting job.
DeMeco Ryans Lists Pair of Rookies as Starters on Texans Depth Chart