FanPost

Why Rashard Higgins needs to be a Steeler.

Hello, it's your neighborhood Igloojoe again. Now, a lot of you are going to go, "Igloo, we don't need another wide receiver, you silly head. We need a pass rusher or a corner or a safety in every round." To counter this, I am going to state that this scouting report is entirely dependent on the Steelers trading Markus Wheaton for more picks. It's as simple as that. The reason I believe we need to do this is that Markus Wheaton is going to be a free agent next year, and we are going to get almost nothing for it. Maybe we get a compensatory pick in 2 years time, but that value is terrible for a team that needs to make a run. The other reason is that I have 99% faith that Sammie Coates will fill Wheatons production. The final reason is that one of the most tempting players has fallen into a realm of great value. That player is Rashard Higgins. Now most of you won't know this guy, but as a current student at his university, he was by far the best player here this year. Heck, he was the best player here last year, too. A name you might've heard last year was Garrett Grayson, third round pick of the New Orleans Saints. Grayson is a good QB, but what made him lethal was Rashard Higgins. I would say that Grayson would not be a pick in the first 6 rounds, had it not been for Higgins play. But alas, Higgins was a sophomore last year and could not enter the draft. Fast forward, and a year of inconsistent QB play has dropped Higgins stock into the third round, AKA the Steelers luxury pick zone. So let's dig in.

First thing to note is that Rashard Higgins played in a pro system under Jim McElwain his magical sophomore year. That means that his knowledge of pro concepts is fairly advanced for a college wide receiver.

RoEYQU5MsgRvG.0.gif

On this play you can see CSU running a common NFL pick play. Higgins runs his route to perfection, forcing the defender to try to cut underneath and allowing for and easy pass and catch from Grayson.

The next thing I notice is how Higgins can use his hands effectively against corners. While this area is not a complete strength, he does show that he can do it.

8ClqwMIwOdEaY.0.gif

On this play, Higgins uses his hands perfectly to swat the defenders hands away and start on his route. He finishes with a fine curl and makes the grab for the first down.

Another thing I notice is that Higgins has shown a great ability for making contested and tough grabs.

OdFaHMV2c27Kg.0.gif

VHkkTXPIUl6KI.0.gif

kBuWDl1o673xe.0.gif

All three of these are tough catches from the same game, and he got all three. In all honesty, him and Grayson were fantastic together. His senior year the QB play quality dropped tremendously, but he still went out and produced.

2rLj0O6ymvUek.0.gif

m9B7TeqhzRdIY.0.gif

6KwkpjwGDETba.0.gif

The reasons provided above are why I believe that Rashard Higgins needs to be a Steeler.

The opinions shared here are not those of the editorial staff of Behind the Steel Curtain or SB Nation. These posts are not approved in any way by the editorial staff of this web site.