Countdown to College Football Kickoff, Day 17: Rashard Higgins deserves your attention
As we continue the ‘Countdown to Kickoff Countdown’ on Saturday Blitz, we arrive at Day 17 and shine the spotlight on college football’s most unassuming superstar, Colorado State Rams wide receiver Rashard Higgins who led the nation with 17 touchdown catches last year.
Colorado State wide receiver Rashard Higgins had more yards and more touchdowns than any other wide receiver in college football last year, but you’d be hard pressed to find someone who could pick the Rams receiver out of a lineup.
The 6-2, 188-pound junior out of Mesquite, TX was the key cog in Jim McElwain’s offense last year and finished with 96 catches for 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns but he didn’t get the national recognition that followed Amari Cooper, Kevin White or Nelson Agholor.
Playing for a Mountain West team often means you’re cast aside in favor of the players from the Power Five schools, but you’re doing a disservice if you’re not watching Higgins because he’s the best receiver in college football.
He’s got a chance to play himself into first round consideration with another stellar year this year. His numbers could take a hit with McElwain leaving to take the head coach job with the Florida Gators and quarterback Garrett Grayson in camp with the New Orleans Saints, but then again, it’s tough to lead the nation in yards and touchdowns two straight years.
Higgins finished his sophomore year with eight straight 100-yard games and it would have been 11 straight if not for the 98-yard game he had in the 24-21 win against Boston College. The streak started with a 198-yard effort with four touchdowns in the win against Tulsa and one week later set a career-high with 194 yards in the win against Nevada.
With Cooper and White both in the NFL, maybe Higgins will get some more national recognition, but even if he doesn’t make sure you seek him out to see what the game-changing wide receiver does for an encore in what likely be his final college season before declaring for the NFL Draft.
Next: Heisman Watch 2015: Top 15 Dark Horse Candidates
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