The Dependable Draftees (Offense)
Summary: Four underrated top tier draft talents that deserve serious attention (Offense)
Jayden Higgins (WR) Iowa State:
This receiver has every tool at his disposal to become an impact WR2 at the NFL level. He might not be the most polished route runner and he struggles to create large amounts of separation, but that is not his game. He’s a one on one contested catch artist with blazing speed. He lulls defensive backs to sleep with a rock step into full acceleration to blow by his defender and create a gap to work with. With this step he is a near guarantee to haul in the deep ball. Back shoulder catches through contact, crossing routes where he glides once the ball is in his hands, and quick changes of speed show just how much potential he truly has, especially in traffic. At 6 feet and 4 inches, 215 pounds his 4.47 second forty yard dash time impressed many scouts potentially making him an end of Round 2 guy this year.
What intrigues me most about him though is how little his usage was in college. Two years at Eastern Kentucky where no eyes were on him with a lackluster roster and no QB to get him the ball. Then once he transfers to Iowa State to be their outside receiver he puts up a season where he was 17 yards shy of 1,000 yards on only 53 catches. An insanely absurd feat considering his QB, Rocco Becht, during his stint at ISU battled inconsistency through his redshirt freshman season. In his sophomore season it was more of the same. Jayden Higgins highlights show a number of underthrown passes placed in spots that made Higgins fight through contact on catches he didn’t necessarily need to if the ball had been put on the money. This year Higgins neared 1,200 yards with 9 touchdowns showing a second straight season of promise. In the NFL he can be a weapon in the red zone, after the catch, and on jump balls. Oddly enough his speed on tape looks even faster than his 4.47 second forty time. How fast he reaches his top end speed allows few corners to keep up with his instantaneous full go sprint. If he fully utilizes that stop and go component with a good coaching staff he might be one of the best receivers in the class.
Devin Neal (RB) Kansas:
If there was one word to describe Neal’s efforts at Kansas it would be heroic. Devin Neal took a Kansas program that hadn’t sniffed a winning record since 2007 and carried the Jayhawks to a 9-4 record and a bowl game victory back in 2023. He did it all on his back. No QB play, just Neal. His contact balance, ability to cut in the open field, and sheer firepower he delivered showed a glimpse as to what we should expect out of him in the NFL. He’s wrongly overshadowed by the likes of Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson and many others in this year’s draft. The difference between him and these guys is the situations all these players had versus Devin Neal. Each guy had a far superior roster around them (aside from Kaleb Johnson).
Devin Neal put up three straight seasons of 1,000+ rushing yards on 6.0+ YPC with his latter two years seeing the star back eclipse 1,200 yards in each season. Watching him play was inspiring. It didn’t matter when Kansas played in losing seasons and were down for the count. Neal sifted through every would-be tackler creating so much yardage over what was to be expected on each handoff. He was lightning in a bottle elevating his game whenever the lights got brightest. He’s also an incredibly underrated pass catcher. Catching over 20 passes in his last three years for around 200 yards receiving a season. In the NFL it’s not hard to see his talent being put to use in the passing game considering how fast he accelerates once he hits the second level of the defense. He seamlessly shifts into high gear and accelerates to top speed in the blink of an eye as soon as space opens up. As a late round pick he is the total package and can insert right into the league given he was a four year college starter with a relatively low amount of carries for a workhorse back. His efficiency can’t be ignored.
Colston Loveland (TE) Michigan:
When thinking about first round tight ends the consensus is they will likely bust. With Colston Loveland it’s safe to throw the stereotypical first round TE bust label out the window. Playing at Michigan Colston Loveland essentially operated as the team’s go-to wideout. Loveland was the guy in 2024 considering the team didn’t have any other option at wide receiver. When Michigan missed him for a few games their team was unwatchable on offense. The season prior he helped lead the Wolverines to a national title. He’s a lengthy vertical threat that can fly for a tight end. His long strides and ability to separate at the catch point make for a sure handed automatic target. He gets his hands dirty in the run game as well having pride in paving paths for the run game. The University of Michigan called for him to block a good bit considering Michigan at their best ran teams into the ground. He’s a complete tight end with no holes in his game.
One of the components that jumps off the charts with him is when the play breaks down. He tends to always be in sync with the quarterback presenting himself as a surefire target. Whether it’s running with a booting quarterback or making a quick cut up the field to create a gashing gain out of nothing, Loveland never quits on the play. Lastly, Loveland has a bit of a cursed trait that overhyped tight ends have had in the past. He can line up on the outside and beat you as if he was a receiver. The same thing was said about Kyle Pitts, OJ Howard, and countless other draft busts, but with Loveland it’s different. He doesn’t just have straight line speed he runs routes like a receiver and comes in and out of breaks as if he was a receiver. It’s really hard to see this guy as being a bust with all the versatility he provides.
Tre Harris (WR) Ole Miss:
Tre Harris is such a specimen. His size at 6 feet 3 inches and 210 pounds is ideal for an NFL wide receiver. He excels at attacking the football in the air and can do damage over the middle of the field. He also is adept at tracking the football on long strikes. Some of the passes he hauled in during his time at Ole Miss were just ludacris. It didn’t matter if there was a pass interference penalty committed on him or there were two defensive backs crunching him as he elevated for the catch. Harris came down with it. He’s a guy that easily will be overshadowed in this year’s draft potentially slipping into the third round. This draft has such an array of gambles, but with Harris’ price tag it’s not even a gamble.
Harris may have run a 4.54 second forty yard dash, but how much does the speed combine tests really tell us about a player? Not much. So many receivers get thrust into the limelight from their forty yard dash times that never play a meaningful down in the NFL. With Harris his game speed surpasses his forty time. Tre seriously could do damage as an outside receiver in the NFL. Every time he touches the football he never goes east to west. He lowers his head and barrels forward for yardage. As soon as he makes the catch there’s an immediate turn up the field. That’s a valuable tool to have in the NFL because the games can come down to just a couple yards. In all honesty I didn’t like Jaxon Dart like some people do so I’ll be eager to see Harris with a new NFL QB. The hope is a contender drafts him to be a solid WR2. Ideally the Texans. His injury history is of no concern.
