Former Iowa State Superstar Unfortunately an Obvious NFL Cut Candidate

The Iowa State Cyclones have definitely been building their football program in recent years, and little by little, they are putting some impressive players onto the NFL level.

Of course, not every Iowa State product will pan out, and it's looking like that's the case with wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson.

Hutchinson, who began his collegiate career at Blinn College before transferring to Iowa State, spent three years with the Cyclones between 2020 and 2022 and was a dominant force in the Big 12, leading the conference in receptions in each of his seasons in Ames.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound wide out's most productive campaign at Iowa State came during his final season there, when he hauled in 107 receptions for 1,171 yards and six touchdowns.

Hutchinson's lack of explosiveness (he averaged 11.5 yards per catch throughout his Cyclones tenure) was viewed as a concern, which was a big reason why he fell to the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Still, due to his overall productivity and his terrific size, there appeared to be plenty of hope for him to find success on the professional level.

Needless to say, that has not been the case thus far, as Hutchinson has managed just 20 catches for 207 yards over the first couple of years of his NFL career.

Now, with the Texans adding a couple of other Iowa State receivers — Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel — in the draft and bringing in pieces like Christian Kirk, Justin Watson and Braxton Berrios, Hutchinson's status in Houston is clearly in question.

Remember: the Texans also have Nico Collins as their No. 1 receiver, and barring a trade, John Metchie will almost certainly make the roster, as well.

NFL teams typically only carry six wide receivers, which could absolutely leave Hutchinson in a bind as he prepares for his third season in the league.

Unless the 25-year-old has a tremendous showing in training camp and preseason, it stands to reason that Hutchinson could be looking for work come September.

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