Key Stats:
James Bowie High School|Kyle, TX
Wide Receiver|6'3"|215 pounds
Rivals Rank: Four stars|#19 Wide Receiver
Key Offers:
Auburn, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas
Profile:
You cannot watch tape of Elijah Higgins without thinking of current Stanford wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. The first four plays of his highlight film (see below) are different variations of what we've grown accustomed to seeing in the red zone from Arcegatron. There are boxouts and fades and jump balls, all plays designed to allow Higgins to use his size and strength to take advantage of overmatched defensive backs. Higgins and Arcega-Whiteside are the same height, and though Higgins is ten pounds lighter, he'll get there. If there's a difference between the two, it's that Higgins seems a bit faster, having clocked a 4.57 forty, and there are plenty of clips in his highlight which feature that speed as he leaves defenders in his wake.
When I previewed the 2018 Stanford wide receivers back in August, I compared the current group of Stanford wideouts to some we've seen in the past, and I predicted that J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and Trenton Irwin might head one of the most productive units in school history. It wasn't exactly a bold prediction, but it did come to pass. In fact, the passing game was so prolific this season that some have wondered if there's been a sea change in David Shaw's offensive philosophy.
I'm certain that's not the case, but I'm also certain that even with the graduation of Irwin and likely departure of Arcegatron, the 2019 passing offense will still be terribly formidable. Osiris St. Brown, Michael Wilson, and Connor Wedington will be the clear top three, with Simi Fehoko pushing for playing time as well, but with Higgins's physical gifts, it wouldn't be a surprise to see his name in the mix also. If he doesn't crack the rotation in 2019, we can certainly look forward to his impact in 2020.
