HOUSTON – Xavier Hutchinson literally caught hundreds of passes in games before he ran his first route as a professional athlete.
At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds with large hands and a big catch radius, Hutchinson is an inviting target. It’s how he caught 254 career passes at Iowa State for 2,929 yards and 15 touchdowns as a former Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and a consensus All-American selection.
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Now that Hutchinson is plying his trade in the NFL, though, the catches are even bigger. None were as significant to the Texans’ rookie wide receiver as his first in an actual NFL game. The sixth-round draft pick caught a nine-yard pass from rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud for a first down last Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
“It was definitely more of a got it underneath my belt, and it’s always good to catch your first pass in a real game,” Hutchinson told KPRC 2. “I was real stoked I was able to get the first down. It wasn’t just some little check-down or anything. It definitely felt great to get that underneath my belt.”
With veteran Noah Brown placed on injured reserve this week with a groin injury, per a league source, his absence creates increased opportunities for rookies like Hutchinson and Tank Dell as they climb the depth chart.
The Texans face the Indianapolis Colts defense, which includes standout defensive back Kenny Moore II, on Sunday at NRG Stadium.
“Most definitely, I prepared this last game as if I was the starter,” Hutchinson said. “You definitely need to have that mentality because you never know when your opportunity will come. My opportunity is kind of coming this week. You definitely have to step up to the plate. The Colts have great coverage and a great team. They ran a lot of Cover 3 this past game. It will be interesting to see what they do against us.”
For the Texans’ sixth-round draft pick, it was a solid debut to build on. After catching 107 passes for 1,171 yards and six touchdowns last season for the Cyclones one year after an 83-catch season for 987 yards and five scores, Hutchinson is ready for more.
“I definitely felt really good about the first game,” Hutchinson said. “Just being able to get out there kind of shake all the nerves off and help the team, just really kind of help the team out, it felt good individually. Just picking things up kind of helps me out so I have a chance to do more.”
A former junior college player at Blinn College in Texas, the Jacksonville, Fla., native was a three-time All-Big 12 selection after transferring.
“The journey was great for me,” Hutchinson said. “It taught me a lot of life lessons. It taught me to never give up on myself.”
Hutchinson has size working in his favor and he plays faster than his timed speed of 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He routinely creates separation and runs crisp routes.
“This is a classic example of a guy, his workout didn’t go great, but he’s a good football player,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “A player that the offensive staff thought highly of.”
“Hutch has shown up a lot,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Shown up on some big plays down the field. Big, physical receiver, excited to see him continue to work and improve what he’s doing.”
Since joining the Texans, Hutchinson has played multiple positions, including X and Z.
“He’s willing to work wherever you put him,” Dell said. “Wherever you want to put him, he’s ready and he’s willing to work to. Coming in strong-minded, ready to work, and getting in the playbook.”
And Hutchinson’s superior size and leaping ability are both factors for him in traffic.
“The biggest thing for him is just going up and winning, being really strong with his hands, going out and attacking the ball,” quarterback Davis Mills said. “He’s one of those guys who is going to work himself to get opportunities and you can trust him to go up and win those 50-50 balls.”
Hutchinson was a 2022 finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the top wide receiver in college football, and an Associated Press All-American. His 107 receptions were 40 more than the next-best Big 12 wide receiver.
He has quickly made a great impression on the Texans.
“I think he had an amazing camp,” agent Sam Leaf Ireifej of Ballengee Group told KPRC. “I think he exceeded expectations, especially considering where he was drafted. In a deep wide receiver room that has a good mix of veterans and young up-and-comers, he found a way to stand out. That has been the biggest victory. I kind of joke about his draft position that they found Xavier on the discount rack at Nordstrom Rack. I think they got a steal. I thought he played really well on special teams against the Ravens.
“For him, just continue to grow. He’s got to earn their trust and be in a position where C.J. and the coaching staff and trust. That’s the next step for Xavier and excel on special teams. He’s an amazing young man, very trustworthy. One of the biggest attributes about Xavier is he does everything on and off the field as a competitor. Don’t let his shy demeanor confuse you or trick you. That dude is a competitor. He wants to win. At every step, he’s left his mark on every program he’s been a part of.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.