The Houston Texans’ draft class was only the beginning of their incoming rookie haul, which included wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz.
Sobkowicz is not going to capture headlines with his arrival as an undrafted product from an FCS school. However, he arrives with a tremendous track record of production, finishing his collegiate career with over 3,000 receiving yards.
How he fits into the Texans’ plans remains to be seen.
Texans Add 3,000-Yard UDFA WR Daniel Sobkowicz
GettyC.J. Stroud could benefit greatly from having new Texans wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz on the team.
Despite Sobkowicz coming from Illinois State, the Texans roster hopeful has been on teams’ radars thanks to his prolific production in college. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder did not have the best showing at his pro day,
He remains an intriguing prospect for what he can do, though.
“Sobkowicz’s production stands out, but his pro-day speed was disappointing and he needs to refine his route-running,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft profile. “His elite short-area change of direction could allow him to run more complex routes from the slot if a team decides to give him a shot inside. He’s not fast but his touchdown production and certain elements of his athletic profile give him a chance of being drafted late on Day 3.”
Zierlein correctly projected Sobkowicz would be a “priority free agent,” but the pre-draft buzz around Sobkowicz was real.
The receiver did not bench during his pro day. That is another potential red flag, along with his 40 time (4.6s), which, notably, came in around the same mark as award-winning two-time Super Bowl champion Cooper Kupp.
Daniel Sobkowicz Draws Cooper Kupp Comparison
GettyNew Texans wide receiver Daneil Sobkowicz has drawn favorable comparisons to Cooper Kupp.
Per Opta FCS, Sobkowicz is “one of eight FCS players in the last 30 years to have 250+ receptions (262), 3,500+ receiving yards (3,559) and 40+ TD catches (41) in a career.”
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco called Sobkowicz a “deep sleeper” while making the comparison.
“His tape was impressive and he had a great three-cone time,” Prisco said in a post on X on April 16, adding that Sobkowicz “killed it in the playoffs. Cooper Kupp-lite. Same 40 time as Kupp coming out too.”
The Vidette’s Lucy Tomlinson called Sobkowicz “the star of the ISU program for the 2025-26 season,” noting that he was a walk-on who later redshirted.
Sobkowicz took off on the field from his sophomore season on.
“He is the No. 2 draft prospect out of the Football Championship Subdivision, according to FCS Football Central,” Tomlinson wrote in March. “He earned 3,559 yards and 41 touchdowns on 262 receptions in his four years as a starter, making him the all-time program leader in receiving touchdowns and receptions. The Arlington Heights, Illinois, native broke the single-season record for most touchdowns during his senior year, securing 19.”
Per Vidette, Sobkowicz ranked fourth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 1,141 receiving yards, earning a slew of accolades, including First Team All-MVFC, and was a Second Team FCS All-American.
Texans Add to Deep WR Room
GettyNico Collins leads a deep wide receiver corps for the Houston Texans.
Sobkowicz is one of three receivers the Texans added after the draft. That gives them four this offseason, including sixth-round pick Lewis Bond. Bond is a Boston College product who finished his career with a 213-2,385-11 line.
Fellow UDFAs Jalen Walthall (a local product from Incarnate Word) and ex-Colgate wideout Treyvhon Saunders both tallied 2,000-plus receiving yards in their collegiate careers, too.
Nico Collins still tops the Texans’ WR depth chart, and he could get an extension soon.
Behind him, the Texans have recent draft picks Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel (2025) and Tank Dell and Xavier Hutchinson (2023). Sobkowicz also shares a physical profile similar to that of Texans veteran Justin Watson, a three-time Super Bowl champion.
Texans Secure 3,000-Yard Playmaker to Help C.J. Stroud