When will Clemson WR Tee Higgins be selected during the 2020 NFL Draft? Let’s explore the possibilities and break down the over/under.
Aside from the quarterback position, which will likely make up half of the first six selections, no other positional group has as much hype heading into the 2020 NFL Draft as the wide receivers. Many believe this year’s class may be the deepest and most talented crop of receivers since the 2014 draft, which featured Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks, Jarvis Landry, Allen Robinson, and Davante Adams, to name a few.
A name that is teetering on being a Day 1 selection is Clemson standout Tee Higgins. The Tigers have produced more than their fair share of stud wide receivers lately (DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Mike Williams). Will Higgins’ name be added to the list?
William Hill Sportsbook is offering a prop bet on where Higgins could land in terms of draft slot. The over/under of 32.5 makes this very simple: Is Higgins a first-round pick or not?
The 6-foot-4, 216-pound Higgins has excellent ball skills, body control and can catch just about anything. Couple that with his long strides, and he becomes a dynamic downfield threat, especially against undersized corners. Higgins deserves plenty of red-zone looks as well and can become the go-to guy in that area of the field, even as a rookie, for a team currently lacking a goal-to-goal pass-catching presence. He scored a touchdown on about 20% of his catches in college.
Higgins played all over the field at Clemson but is probably best suited as an X-receiver in the NFL. He needs to be more polished as a route-runner, and it will be interesting to see if he has enough game speed to outclass NFL DBs as he did to college ones. After the consensus top-four WRs (Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs III, and Justin Jefferson) are off the board, Higgins starts to become a consideration for WR-needy teams.
Which teams could be interested?
Let’s take a look at a few teams that need to add a receiver and could take one late in the first round or early in the second round.
Minnesota Vikings (Nos. 22 or 25)
Despite all the rumors that swirled about eight days before the draft, the Vikings are not trading for Odell Beckham Jr. So they’ll have to address the wide receiver position with one of their two first-round picks. The top three options will be gone, as will Justin Jefferson, most likely. They should turn their attention to the next group of pass-catchers, Denzel Mims, Laviska Shenault, Brandon Aiyuk, and Higgins. Moving Thielen back to a heavy slot role and allowing Higgins to play outside on the line of scrimmage as a potential deep threat.
Baltimore Ravens (Nos. 28 or 55 or 60)
Many fantasy football players would be happy with this landing spot. Higgins plying his trade in Baltimore as they look to add more weapons around MVP Lamar Jackson is a fit, but I’m not sure it’s a great one. Sure he can instantly be a huge red zone threat, but will he be as valuable between the 20s when they already have a young receiver to stretch the defense vertically? I wouldn’t rule it out at No. 28, but No. 55 seems more likely for their needs.
Green Bay Packers (No. 30)
This is Higgins’ landing spot in Kevin Hanson’s latest mock draft. Aaron Rodgers’ need for more weapons is abundantly clear. Higgins would make a great complement to Davante Adams and can serve as a potential game-breaker and top red-zone target. The oddsmakers favor the Packers taking an offensive player with this pick, and WR is the most logical position.
San Francisco 49ers (No. 31)
If the 49ers don’t take a wide receiver at No. 13, something 49ers Maven Jose Luis Sanchez III says they need to do; they need to choose one here. Given Deebo Samuel’s versatility and ability to line up all over the field, the 49ers need a more traditional outside receiver for Jimmy Garoppolo. Higgins can fill that role right away,
Indianapolis Colts (Nos. 34 or 44)
The Colts don’t currently have a first-round pick but have two selections in the first dozen picks of Round 2. Although Parris Campbell may eventually emerge into a trustworthy No. 2 option, the need to add more weapons than just T.Y. Hilton is paramount, especially with new QB Philip Rivers’ arrival. It seems likely the Colts will spend one of these two picks on a WR, and Higgins is hard to pass up at No. 34 to be Rivers’ new Mike Williams.
New York Jets (No. 48)
If the Jets go tackle at pick No. 11, addressing the wide receiver position could be in the cards here. They did add Breshad Perriman but on a one-year deal. They also lack a true No. 1. Higgins won’t be that as a rookie but could develop into that role as the Jets continue to build around Sam Darnold.
Against The Odds
This receiver class is talented and deep, but that’s working against Higgins. I’d be shocked if he’s in anyone’s top four, which pretty much rules him out of being a Top 21 pick. Where he lands in the next tier will be the key to whether or not he goes on Day 1. Teams may like Mims, Shenault, and even Aiyuk more than him. If a player like Justin Jefferson inexplicably falls, that only hurts Higgins’ value. Plus, any teams trading back into Round 1 would likely be doing so for a falling defensive player, QB Jordan Love, or to take the No. 1 RB on their board. Higgins won’t have to wait long on Day 2 to hear his name called, but I have him going in the second round.
The Play: OVER pick 32.5 (-163)
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