Vitals

High-end NFL Player Comp(s): Allen Robinson

Low-end NFL Player Comp(s): Devaughn Vele

Best Scheme Fit: Day 1 big slot in most offenses who should emerge as a contested-catch and back-shoulder fade Z quickly.

Best Team Fit(s): Patriots, Cowboys, Titans, Commanders, Giants

Non-bolded times - Good examples of attribute
Bolded times - Average/poor examples of attribute

* - How well does his skill set carry over to the fantasy game? For receivers, a player needs to be a realistic threat for 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards at some point early in their career to be a candidate for a perfect grade. Positional scarcity at the pro level is also a part of the equation.

Positives

• Big-bodied target with huge catch radius (80 inches) and exceptional ball-tracking skills.
  
  
• Drop rate of 2.2 percent or lower in his last three college seasons; three total drops across 210 targets at Iowa State and did not drop any of his 117 targets of 10 yards or more in two years with the Cyclones.
  
  
• Exceptionally fluid out of his breaks for a bigger (taller) receiver.
  
  
• Smooth strider who maintains his balance even if forced to play through contact.
  
  
• Showed he could win on a multitude of routes thanks to the Cyclones' willingness to let him use most of the route tree.
  
  
• Did not miss any of his 26 career games at Iowa State.
  

Negatives

• Disappointing production after the catch (3.8 YAC in 2024 and 4.5 over his four-year college career).
  
  
• Slot only in the NFL?
  
  
• May lack the strength and be too angular off the line to succeed against NFL press corners consistently.
  
  
• Could stand to play with more urgency and physicality.
  
  
• Possesses the ability to create separation on downfield routes but typically has to resort to winning on back-shoulder or contested-catch opportunities because he cannot maintain his advantage.
  
  
• Probably needs to add lower-body strength to anchor down better as a blocker.

Bottom Line

Higgins was charged with a drop against UCF and again in the next game against Texas Tech. That was it, which is an amazing feat for a receiver who was targeted roughly 130 times. It has to be a great feeling for a quarterback to know he has a 6-4 receiver with a 39-inch vertical jump and great hands available to him over the middle of the field. However, he is more than just a big target and possession receiver. It is uncommon for him to tip off his routes with how he gears down because he is the rare big-bodied receiver who doesn't need to gear down very often. Higgins is quite adept at finding the void in zone coverage as well. He is also one of the best in the class in terms of tracking downfield throws.

Despite playing every receiver position in college, he may lack the physicality to be a full-time X and the speed to stretch the field as a full-time Z in the NFL. His 4.47-second timed speed is good for a receiver of his size, but he rarely ever flashed it. To that end, his biggest play in 2024 was 39 yards (on 87 catches). It probably means his upside as a vertical receiver in the pros will be limited to back-shoulder fades and contested catches. Especially given the variety of routes he ran, his run-after-catch ability was disappointing. Combined with his somewhat lanky frame, the odds are relatively long that he can live on the perimeter as an X receiver trying to beat press coverage. With that said, size and good hands play well in almost any offense, so perhaps getting him off the line of scrimmage as a Z will be enough to let him shine. At the very least, Higgins should be an immediate boon to any team's red zone offense. He may not be quite as physical or productive as Allen Robinson was in his heyday, but Higgins should enjoy a long career as a strong No. 2 receiver once he adds some more muscle to his frame.


Predict the top ten picks of the NFL Draft for a chance to win $100 and FFToday prizes. Enter our NFL Draft Contest now.