The second night of the 2025 NFL Draft led to 10 Big 12 players being selected — and a notable Big 12 star who continues his freefall through the draft.
So, what happened? How did it all unfold? Where did these players end up?
Here are the selections from Friday night:
No. 34 Houston Texans: WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
No. 37 Miami Dolphins: OG Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
No. 58 Las Vegas Raiders: WR Jack Bech, TCU
No. 60 Denver Broncos: RB R.J. Harvey, UCF
No. 68 Las Vegas Raiders: DB Darien Porter, Iowa State
No. 75 San Francisco 49ers: LB Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
No. 79 Houston Texans: WR Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
No. 84 San Francisco 49ers: CB Jacob Parrish, Kansas State
No. 87 Green Bay Packers: WR Savion Williams, TCU
No. 89 Jacksonville Jaguars: OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
No. 98 Las Vegas Raiders: OL Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was not taken for the second straight night.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the second night of the NFL Draft from a Big 12 perspective.
THE HOUSTON CYCLONES
I can’t remember the last time I saw an NFL team take two wide receivers from the same program on the same night.
But the Houston Texans did it, taking Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins in the second round and then teammate Jaylin Noel in the third round.
All I can say is that the folks in Houston are serious about getting as many weapons around quarterback CJ Stroud as possible.
Between Noel and Higgins, the pair caught 167 passes for 2,377 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. I got the chance to see them in person twice last season. I came away impressed with both.
Houston already had one Cyclone on the roster — Xavier Hutchinson. Add these two along with Tank Dell and Nico Collins and Houston has an intriguing group of receivers.
I imagine Houston’s experience with Hutchinson got them interested in Noel and Higgins. The talent did the rest. I could see both making this team and making an impact this season.
LAS VEGAS LOVES THE BIG 12
Las Vegas was busy on Friday night. The Raiders had four selections, and they took three Big 12 players.
TCU’s Jack Bech gives the Raiders a young target for veteran quarterback Geno Smith. ESPN feels he could be a starter opposite Jakobi Meyers in the opener. Las Vegas has one of the best young tight ends around in Brock Bowers. Bech is a great possession receiver who, I believe, has Cooper Kupp traits without the massive collegiate track record.
Iowa State’s Darien Porter gives the Raiders a player that showed off 4.3 speed at the scouting combine but needs development. He’s a converted wide receiver still learning the ropes of the position. But there’s raw talent that can be harnessed. Because he’s considered good in zone coverage, he could end up being a safety.
Texas Tech offensive lineman Caleb Rogers is player I saw a lot of division on when it came to scouting. The one thing scouts agreed on was that Rogers would be a guard in the NFL. His experience at tackle will help in win playing time on an offensive line that needs help.
MARTIN’S MOMENT
Nick Martin was one of the few Big 12 defensive players selected in the first three rounds. The Oklahoma State product battled injuries last year, but he landed in a great spot with the San Francisco Giants. Their scheme and coaching staff should be a great fit for him.
Plus, he created one final footnote in Cowboys history.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
