Iowa Star's NFL Draft Stock Continues Puzzling Nosedive

This Iowa Hawkeyes star continues to see his NFL Draft stock oddly plunge.

Nov 18, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini running back Reggie Love III (23) is tackled by Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Logan Lee (85) and linebacker Jay Higgins (34) during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

It's hard to determine exactly what is going on with the NFL Draft stock of Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Jay Higgins, who was considered by some to be a potential Day 2 pick when the 2024 college football season came to a close.

However, some mock drafts are suddenly placing Higgins incredibly low, which is incredibly odd given the year he just had.

Joe DeLeone of Pro Football Network recently put together a seven-round mock draft, and he had Higgins going 203rd overall to the Los Angeles Rams. That's a sixth-round pick.

Is it possible that Higgins could really end up going that low this April?

Look: there are definitely reasons to be concerned about Higgins. He absolutely has his physical limitations, as he does not have great size for a linebacker, he has pretty short arms and he also does not have the best lateral movement.

For some linebackers, that would be a complete death knell, but Higgins compensates for his questionable physical tools with a fantastic motor, a great nose for the ball and a tremendous football IQ. But will that be enough to save him from plunge in the NFL Draft?

It doesn't help that the modern NFL has rendered inside linebackers relatively ancillary in their roles, as the focus has largely gone to edge rushers. Still, a strong middle linebacker is important, and Higgins should at least be able to fill that role on the professional level.

The 22-year-old racked up 124 tackles, four interceptions, a couple of forced fumbles and five passes defended during his final year at Iowa, earning himself the Butkus-Fitzgerald award for the Big Ten's best linebacker for his efforts.

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