Penn State’s wide receiver room has been a sore spot for years - a lingering issue that haunted the final stretch of the James Franklin era. Despite flashes of promise elsewhere on the roster, the passing game often sputtered, and the wideouts rarely rose to the occasion when it mattered most. But with Matt Campbell now at the helm and a key addition to his staff, there’s real reason to believe that could be about to change.
Enter Noah Pauley, the former Iowa State wide receivers coach who’s now bringing his talents to Happy Valley. And if his track record in Ames is any indication, Penn State might finally have the right man to turn a long-standing weakness into a legitimate strength.
Pauley’s resume speaks volumes. In 2024, he helped mold Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel into one of the most productive receiver duos in the country. Both topped 1,000 yards - the first time that’s ever happened in Iowa State history - and both are now suiting up for the Houston Texans after being selected in the second and third rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
That kind of production doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a coach who knows how to develop talent, connect with players, and unlock their full potential. And Higgins and Noel are quick to credit Pauley for doing exactly that.
“He’s a special coach,” Noel said, speaking from the Texans locker room. “He’s going to shoot you straight.
I appreciated his honesty because that elevates you as a player. He’s going to tell it like it is.”
That no-nonsense approach resonated with both players - and it clearly worked. Higgins, a transfer from FCS-level Eastern Kentucky, didn’t have a flashy NIL deal waiting for him when he joined the Cyclones. What he did have was an opportunity, and a coach in Pauley who believed in him.
The two hit it off immediately. Pauley, who played wide receiver himself and won two Division II national titles at Minnesota-Duluth, saw something in Higgins. He’d already coached Christian Watson at North Dakota State - now a standout with the Green Bay Packers - and he recognized a similar potential in Higgins.
“He would always put you in the right position to succeed,” Higgins said. “But he also gave you just enough freedom that you can be yourself out there and show your skill set.”
That blend of structure and autonomy was key. In 2023, Higgins averaged a jaw-dropping 18.5 yards per catch.
By 2024, his 87 receptions ranked seventh in the FBS, and he finished with 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns. Not bad for a guy who just two years earlier was flying under the radar at an FCS program.
Noel’s path was different, but the result was the same. A lightly recruited three-star prospect, Noel arrived at Iowa State with something to prove. He flashed potential early - 38 catches as a freshman, 572 yards as a sophomore - but it wasn’t until Pauley arrived that his game truly took off.
“From the day he stepped in and watched film with me and talked over my game, there were so many tips he gave me,” Noel said. “It started off with the simple things like footwork at the line of scrimmage, being able to have a multitude of releases, things like that. His football IQ, having played the position and how smart he is, elevated how I watched film and studied.”
By the end of 2024, Noel had 80 catches for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns. Like Higgins, he became a centerpiece of an Iowa State offense that powered the Cyclones to their first-ever 11-win season.
But Pauley’s impact went beyond the stat sheet. He earned a reputation as a “connector of people,” someone who could relate to his players, push them to compete, and give them the space to grow into their own style of play.
“He’s a competitor as a coach and always wants to see a competitive edge from his players,” Noel added. “And my favorite part about his coaching style is the freedom he gives a receiver to grow.
He gives you the base fundamentals. And from there, he wants to see you grow into your own player.”
That kind of coaching is exactly what Penn State needs right now.
The Nittany Lions haven’t had a wide receiver drafted before the sixth round since 2023, when Parker Washington went late on Day 3. And despite big-name transfers and high expectations, the position group was largely invisible during the 2025 season - including a College Football Playoff semifinal where the wideouts failed to record a single catch.
That’s not just a stat. It’s a symbol of the problem.
But with Pauley in the building, there’s a new sense of direction. He’s shown he can take under-the-radar talent and turn it into NFL-caliber production. He’s proven he can connect with players, teach the details, and build a room that thrives on competition and confidence.
For whoever lines up under center for Penn State in 2026, that’s a game-changer. And for a program looking to take the next step, it might be the missing piece.
Noah Pauley helped build something special at Iowa State. Now, he’s got the chance to do the same in State College - and rewrite the narrative around Penn State’s receivers in the process.