Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins was his typical exuberant self Wednesday morning as he talked to members of the media during the Colorado State Football Pro Day. The standout wide receiver from Mesquite, Texas discussed his draft prospects and the importance of getting in a good workout in Fort Collins, after not doing as well as he would have liked to at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Rocking very Hollywood-esque gold Under Armour cleats, Higgins caught every pass he was thrown this morning while running extremely crisp routes. Higgins improved his 40-yard dash time from the NFL Combine (4.64) slightly, running a 4.57 and a 4.55 in his two attempts at the 40-yard dash according to school officials. Higgins vertical of 32.5 inches was fairly pedestrian, but a slight improvement from the Combine as well, where Higgins recorded a vertical of 30 inches.
Here’s video of Higgins in the 40-yard dash thanks to Jake Marsing of Scout.com:
“I got better today,” Higgins said after the workout. “My numbers at the combine were a little sluggish, but I picked it up today. It felt good.”
Higgins does not overwhelm you with speed or raw athleticism, but he believes he will compete at a high level in the NFL.
“If you can play ball, you can play ball,” he exclaimed. “Jerry Rice wasn’t the fastest but you know what he did. He’s a GOAT. He’s the greatest of all time.”
“Hollywood” makes an interesting point. So much attention is paid to how these guys perform in various drills, but no drill will show what Higgins brings to the table. Higgins is a gamer, and there is plenty of film to showcase his in-game abilities.
No, he is not going to burn an NFL defensive back with pure speed, but Higgins does what the foundation for all receivers should be. He runs every route well and has hands of glue.
“I model my game after Martavis Bryant. I feel like he’s a good route runner, (with) the way he breaks press (coverage),” Higgins said. Bryant has about three inches and 40 pounds on Higgins, but like the former CSU star, Bryant is a not a 4.4 guy. Instead, Bryant uses precise routes to beat coverage and get open. A lot of receivers, even in the NFL, cannot run a complete route tree. So, having a guy like Higgins can be a luxury for a franchise.
In his time at Colorado State, Higgins was one of the hardest workers and most popular players on the football team. He finished his career as the greatest receiver in CSU history, setting school-records in receptions (238), yards (3,643) and touchdowns (31).
Following his Pro Day workout, Higgins took time to thank the Colorado State faithful that supported him.
“Thank you for this process,” he said. “Thank you for just loving me. Thank you all. I really appreciate it and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Thank you, Hollywood. I’m sure Ram Nation would do it all over again.
Here’s a look at Higgins in the three-cone drill during CSU’s Pro Day, also thanks to Jake Marsing of Scout.com:
And here are photos of Higgins during the day:
Higgins lines up during individual drills. Credit: Rich Kurtzman
Higgins in warmups for individual drills. Credit: Rich Kurtzman
Want more 2016 Pro Day coverage?
- Watch Rashard Higgins’ hilarious 10-minute interview, 40-yard dash, more
- See results from every Colorado State Rams player who performed Wednesday
- VIDEO: Interview with DeAndre Elliott
