Stanford senior wide receiver Elijah Higgins was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 6th round (197th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. Higgins was the fourth Stanford player selected in the draft following Tanner McKee. In my breakdown of Stanford’s 2023 NFL Draft prospects, I wrote of Higgins:
Elijah Higgins played four years on The Farm and during his entire time was one of the top offensive weapons on the entire team. At 6’3”, 234 pounds, Higgins has really good size for an NFL wide receiver and actually is getting looked at to play some tight end. When you watch him play, he definitely passes the eye test.
Higgins has good hands, runs routes well, and can absorb contact. He’s not an easy guy to bring down and can really make plays in the open field while also making tough catches in traffic. His ability to play both wide receiver and tight end make him a really intriguing prospect.
As far as weaknesses go, due to his size, I think there could be some concerns about his top-end speed. There’s going to be faster players in the draft, though many of them don’t have the same body frame that he does. Also, he had just two touchdown receptions as a senior after having four touchdowns as a junior. He’s going to have to prove that is capable of being a reliable target in the red zone and that he can find the end zone with the right offensive system. A lot of his end zone struggles he can pin on playing for a team that honestly wasn’t very good.
Looking at his draft projection, I think we’re looking at a 5th to 7th round selection. His physical tools and ability to make catches in traffic/through contact will make someone draft him. I just think his lack of production last year will hurt his stock. He’s definitely a guy who could end up being a real steal of this draft due to his overall upside.
Higgins went about where I thought he would go. Right in the middle of that 5th to 7th round projection. The big question for him is how well he will adjust to the tight end position. He played wide receiver on The Farm and will have an adjustment playing tight end in the NFL.
The good news for him is his wide receiver background should help him a good deal. He’s got the ability to catch and make plays with the ball in his hands, which is often a struggle for other tight ends. As I said, he’s got a chance to be a real steal. Definitely a good guy for the Dolphins to pick at this point of the draft.
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