HOUSTON – Nico Collins broke the huddle, relaying the play at his annual youth football camp: Everybody go deep.
With eager youngsters yelling his name, calling for the ball, the Texans’ Pro Bowl wide receiver delivered a high lob for a touchdown pass. Operating as the permanent quarterback Saturday morning at Houston Christian High School, Collins provided a mentoring presence as he imparted life and football lessons.
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Now, the Texans’ top wide receiver is looking forward to a similar type of leadership role with rookie wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.
The Texans have a new-look receiving corps with the former Iowa State standouts bolstering the group as Higgins was drafted in the second round, one round before his college teammate. With Stefon Diggs now playing for the New England Patriots and Tank Dell likely out for the season after a gruesome knee injury, the Texans injected some young talent into the position.
“Man, they got some dawgs,” Collins said. “They got some playmakers, man. They know what they’re doing, DeMeco (Ryans, Nick (Caserio), you’ve got Nick Caley, too. It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be a great year. I can’t wait to get going with everybody.”
As the Texans concluded their rookie minicamp Saturday, there’s a lot of excitement surrounding the arrival of Higgins and Noel. Higgins (6-foot-4, 214 pounds) is a classic big wide receiver who has drawn comparisons to Collins (6-4, 222). Noel has an extensive background as a speedy slot receiver who excels after the catch and on special teams.
Having two towering wide receivers on the field at the same time represents a potential matchup nightmare for defenses.
Collectively, Collins, Christian Kirk, Higgins and Noel could form a highly productive group catching passes from quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Growing up in Alabama, Collins looked up to several wide receivers as role models. That included Mike Evans, Larry Fitzgerald and Julio Jones. As a rookie, he gleaned knowledge from Brandin Cooks. It’s a role he embraces.
“Man, it’s a blessing,” Collins said. “It’s crazy how time flies. It’s a blessing to be in this position, man. It’s only right for me to lead by example. I know they’re gonna push me, I’m gonna push them. That’s the only way we can get better and we’re gonna shine on Sundays.
“So, push each other and let them boys know, let the DBs know what’s up. I can’t wait to join the guys, man. I’m excited to get back with them boys, for sure.”
A year ago, Collins signed a three-year, $75 million maximum value deal a year ago that included a $17 million signing bonus
To help the Texans acquire more players, he restructured his contract earlier this offseason to create $9.8 million in salary cap space, per a league source, as the Texans converted his $13.5 million base salary into a $12.33 million signing bonus. His original salary cap figure was $18.441 million for the 2025 season, and it’s now down to $8.577 million. His new base salary: $1.17 million, fully guaranteed. He’s due up to $625,004 in per game active roster bonuses at a rate of $36,755 available per game.
To spread out the impact of the salary-cap maneuver, the Texans added void years of $40 million in 2028 and 2029.
Collins signed his new contract last year coming off a career breakthrough season during which he caught 80 passes for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 regular season games. In two playoff games, Collins caught 11 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown with nine first downs on 17 targets.
Last season, the Texans won the AFC South division title again and Collins set a franchise playoff record with 122 receiving yards in a playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers on seven receptions as he surpassed DeAndre Hopkins’ playoff single-game record.
Despite missing five games with a hamstring injury, Collins managed to catch 68 passes for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns. Before his leg injury, Collins was on a torrid pace to finish the season with over 100 catches and 2,000 receiving yards.
Collins has ascended from a somewhat below-the-radar third-round draft pick from Michigan into one one of the top receivers in the NFL.
“It means a lot,” he said. “If you got to a grocery store, somebody might recognize you. It’s part of it. You’re out here making plays for the city. Your hard work will come to notice. Lucky for that, that’s what hard work comes to.
“I love the attention, man. I don’t mind it at all. I love giving back, taking pictures for the fans. Just glad to give back to the city, glad to be in this position.”
Since the Texans’ final game, a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in January at Arrowhead Stadium. Collins and his teammates have had a lot of time to reflect on their second consecutive AFC South divisional round defeat.
The Texans are 0-6 all-time as a franchise at that stage of the postseason as the only team in the AFC that has never reached the conference championship game. All of that has built more motivational fuel for a football team eager to take the next step in Ryans’ third season as head coach.
“Yeah, I feel like it’s a chip on our shoulders,” Collins said. “We’ve gotta be hungry every year, that’s the mindset. I feel like our locker room is full of dawgs. I feel like we’re never satisfied. There’s no reason to be satisfied until we get to that goal.
“Fell short, same spot, twice. Lost to the same team, so we know the feeling. We know what it takes not to get to the feeling again. Every day, we’re head down, one foot in front of the other and we’re gonna work every single day.”
Giving back in the community means a lot to Collins, whose parents, sister, girlfriend and other parts of his inner circle attended the camp to support his efforts.
“It means a lot," Collins said. “It’s the reason I want to come out here and get back to the city. It’s for the kids, just sending them out here running around, having fun on a nice Saturday morning. That’s what kids want to do. It is all in my heart just to give back to the kids and be a great role model.
“It was lit, man. It’s always fun. Just being in that role now, it’s amazing. I was happy to see the kids having fun, laughing, screaming my name. It means a lot. I’m glad I got to be here showing love to them.”
#Texans restructured Nico Collins' contract, lowering his original salary cap figure from $18.441 million by $9.8 million with a conversion of $13.5 million salary into a signing bonus prorated, per a league source. Collins signed 3-year, $75.69 million deal last year @KPRC2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 5, 2025
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
