The eye-catching quickness, speed and hands of Texans undrafted rookie wide receiver Riley McCarron has earned him respect from the coaching staff and players.
It's also notched him a nickname from Texans coach Bill O'Brien: "The Iowa Flash."
McCarron caught 42 passes for 517 yards and four touchdowns in his final season at Iowa and was named honorable-mention All-Big Ten. The 5-foot-9, 185-pounder was a four-time academic All-Big Ten selection who doubled as a kick returner who returned a punt for a touchdown against Illinois.
A state champion in the 100 meters in high school, McCarron ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds and registered a 40 1/2 inch vertical leap at the Hawkeyes' Pro Day after not being invited to the NFL scouting combine.
McCarron is making a strong impression so far, catching one pass for 18 yards against the Carolina Panthers during the Texans' preseason opener.
"He's a good kid," O'Brien said. "He works hard. He's a spitting image of (assistant coach and former NFL wide receiver Wes) Welker, wearing No. 83. He's done a good job. He's a smart kid. He's tough.