Here's everything Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel said following training camp practice on Monday, including his role with the offense, expecations for Year 2 and more.
Question: On how it feel to practice
Jaylin Noel: “It feels really good to be back, just understanding and realizing what that time away was, not taking it for granted, being able to play this game. Then catching from C.J. [Stroud], it feels really good. He's a great quarterback, and just to continue to build that chemistry and get as much as we can in before the season.”
Q: On sitting out of practice and observing the beginning of Training Camp
Noel: “It was tough. It was tough. I love the game of football, so that being taken away from me momentarily, it's something tough. It put into my head not to take anything for granted and just to go out there every day with just being grateful and just allowing myself to play free.”
Q: On his emotions when he learned WR Jayden Higgins tore his ACL
Noel: “Yeah, it's really tough. Just knowing the work he put in, knowing the person he is, just a person that goes out every day with a chip on his shoulder to get better and just honestly becoming one of the leaders, by example, on this team and him making spectacular plays every day. It's really hard when you see somebody of that caliber go down. That being my brother, honestly, he was at my wedding, one of the best men at my wedding. Seeing him go through that is hard. But just like he was there for me while I was going through my injuries, I'm going to be there for him. He's going to come back better than when he left.”
Q: On the message from the coaching staff with injuries
Noel: “Every man has to do their job, honestly. It's not going to be one guy that can step up and change the trajectory of where we're going to go. It's going to be everybody. As long as everybody does their job, we'll be in a good spot.”
Q: On what he has learned from Darren Sproles on special teams
Noel: “Both of us being ‘KC’ [Kansas City] natives, it's pretty cool. Just to know the caliber of player he was and the experiences he had in the league, just to be able to pick his brain and understand what he sees when the ball is in the air and when he's returning, it's something that's helped me a lot. We got a lot of work in OTAs as well. For him to be back there with me, it just allows me to keep growing and gaining more confidence.”
Q: On RB David Montgomery
Noel: “His energy is contagious. He's a very energized person. You just know his style is going to bring that S.W.A.R.M. mentality to this offense. He’s just a very dominant player and overall, running back, he can do it all. Power, agility, coming out the backfield and using his hands to make plays. For him to be on our team is going to be huge for us.”
Q: On the difference from his rookie year to year two
Noel: “It's a huge gap between where I was from year one to year two. The game's honestly slowed down to this point. Just being in year two of an offense that was new to us last year, it's helped a lot. Even something that with my time away, just being able to step back and watch extra film and still going through all the install with the team and stuff like that was something that I benefited from. Obviously, I would want to be out on the field getting those reps throughout the start of Training Camp, but being able to step back and mentally lock in and get those mental reps meant a lot for me.”
Q: On whether he feels he can impact the offense this season
Noel: “Oh yeah, the confidence is sky high. I know I'm going to be able to make an impact for this offense and make the plays when they need me.”
Q: On how he previously injured his finger
Noel: “Yeah, just catching passes, honestly. Just a one-off thing, I felt. It's good to go now, it feels great.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans WR Jaylin Noel said after training camp practice
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