The New England Patriots need a wide receiver to pair with franchise quarterback Drake Maye so that they can build and grow together within the system for the next decade or so.
It’s essential for a quarterback and receiver to have a rapport with each other and be on the same page when it comes to the playbook. They need to know what each other is thinking pre-snap for them to execute well when the ball is snapped and the play is live.
There's no better way to create a foundation than to have two homegrown players put in the work, time, and effort together to be on the same page for the betterment of the team.
The path to supporting Maye is by adding weapons to his arsenal, which can be done by drafting Iowa State’s wide receiver, Jayden Higgins.
Higgins is a 6-foot-4, 215 lbs, big-bodied receiver who can make all the catches and has a large route tree to his name. In 2024, Higgins finished fourth in the Big 12 with 87 receptions for 1,183 yards and scored nine touchdowns.
Last season, Higgins showcased himself as a true pro receiver by being able to produce as an X and Z receiver. It’s impressive to see him maneuver as a Z, considering how tall he is, but he has a great instinct for route running and making plays from that position.
Higgins is going to be bigger than most defensive backs in the NFL. His fade routes will go as far as the quarterback can throw it. He makes contested catches all over the field, but especially in the back corner of the end zone, and is excellent at over-the-shoulder catches.
An underrated part of a wide receiver is his ability not to show when he’s going to catch the pass. The way to do that is by the receiver bringing his hands up at the very last second possible to make the catch. It’s becoming a more common concept with the younger generation of receivers, but it’s a skill that isn’t easy to do and takes a lot of work to get down.
That said, Higgins is excellent at bringing his hands up at the last second to make the catch. He puts himself in great positioning to make the catch and has the awareness to know what his next move is going to be, especially out of the slot when he does a seven-yard in route and turns up the field for 20 yards.
Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins (6-foot-4, 215 lbs) showcased himself as a legit pro receiver in 2024. He lined up as an X and Z, he had the fourth most receptions and the fourth-most yards in the Big 12 with 87 for 1,183.#Patriots should draft Higgins in the second round. pic.twitter.com/NQv021l7rk
— Justin Trombino (@Trombino20) April 22, 2025
Higgins is as dependable as they come. In his two years at Iowa, he only had three dropped passes on an accumulated 210 targets, according to Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston.
After watching film on Higgins, the NFL comparison that comes to mind is Mike Evans, another big-bodied receiver who produced similarly in his final year at Texas A&M to Higgins in his final year at Iowa State:
- Mike Evans: 69 receptions, 1,394 yards, 12 touchdowns
- Jayden Higgins: 87 receptions, 1,183 yards, 9 touchdowns
Evans went on to have a Hall of Fame career and is continuing to pave the way for excellence for what a wide receiver is in the NFL. It’s too early to tell if Higgins will have the same path, but he certainly can help Maye immediately upon arrival in New England.
With a new coaching staff in New England this year led by Mike Vrabel, they’ve added two veteran wide receivers in Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, both in their 32-year-old season and who Vrabel respects, will add leadership to a rather young group.
Both Diggs and Hollins are assumed to have clear roles in 2025, considering they signed deals as free agents this offseason. DeMario Douglas is set to be the starting slot receiver entering the season. Other than that, nobody else has a solidified role and is also subject to being traded.
With Josh McDaniels back as offensive coordinator, the Patriots will have a smoother offensive operation this year. In a previous post, I suggested that McDaniels urged Vrabel to bring in Tetoria McMillan for a Pre-Draft visit to compare him to the three wide receivers they took a closer look at during the Top-30 Visits. But maybe it’s all just being done to further evaluate Higgins, as he is the true player they want to draft in the second round.
One last note on the wide receivers, Vrabel likes to have a big-bodied receiver. In previous years, he drafted AJ Brown (6-foot-1, 226 lbs.) and Treylon Burks (6-foot-2, 225 lbs.) when he was with the Tennessee Titans. If Vrabel and McDaniels are on the same page, then they should target Higgins, and they might not even have to move at all to do it.
Drafting Higgins could really help set up New England’s wide receiver position moving forward for years down the road with Maye.