Tee Higgins: 2020 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Frame

9/10 Higgins is a big-bodied receiver with decent athleticism. Many receivers of Higgins’ size are clumsy and lack athletic ability, but Higgins seems to be the complete package in this department. 

Speed

8.5/10 For his size, Higgins is a burner who makes solid cuts. His acceleration is incredible, but he was unwilling to run the 40-yard dash at the combine which raises a few red flags.

Strength/Physicality

7.5/10 Higgins is very strong, and this shows in the contested ball game which we’ll get into later. His combination of speed with how physical he is made me a bit more intrigued. He tends to back down against stronger competition which is where he loses points here. He tends to get handsy with tight man-to-man coverage, so he needs to find a way to win these one-on-one battles.

Release

7/10 Higgins’ first step is usually pretty rough, which scares me when he needs to create separation with NFL cornerbacks. He has relatively fluid footwork but he doesn’t have smooth enough cuts to create enough separation.

Hips/Footwork

8/10 His footwork is solid but his hip fluidity is lacking. In short spaces, Higgins seriously struggles. This is one of the main reasons that I do not want my team to take Higgins. He doesn’t bring enough to the table to be a first-round pick.

Catching

9/10 Higgins has great range across the field and can bring in almost any ball. He only dropped a few passes in the tape I watched, and he excelled with contested balls. 

Playmaking/YAC

7.5/10 Higgins doesn’t have quite enough agility to make faster defensive backs miss and pick up extra yards after the catch. His athleticism limits what he can do in this department.

Contested Balls

9.5/10 This is what Higgins excels at. He brings in the jump balls most of the time and makes opposing defensive players look small. He is a bit slow to bring the ball in at times which allows the defensive back to knock the ball out.

Route Running

6.5/10 Higgins ran a limited route tree at Clemson. He’s stiff and his agility limits what he can do. 

Athleticism

7/10  For his size, Higgins is a decent athlete, but definitely nothing special. His acceleration is solid and his long speed caught be my surprise, but he isn’t a natural athlete like some of the other receivers in this class.

Overall

79.5/100 My pre-judgments about Higgins were accurate. The cons seem to outweigh the pros, but if your team can grab him in the second-round, it may be worth it. He’s a big-bodied receiver who is good at jump balls, but his athleticism will hold him back. His ceiling seems to be relatively low and his floor is also pretty low. I don’t love him at all, but I think he could be a solid number two or three.

Round Grade: Late Second

Projected Draft Position: Late First-Mid Second

Pro Comparison: Mike Williams