Notre Dame RB Commit Logan Diggs Can Provide Immediate Help
Notre Dame landed a really good running back in Metairie (La.) Archbishop Rummel running back Logan Diggs. I thought that originally based on film, but after seeing the Class of 2021 standout in person my opinion was solidified. Irish fans will enjoy watching him play.
This past weekend I was in attendance for the Archbishop Rummel vs. River Ridge (La.) John Curtis game. Below are my thoughts of him as a player and how he will fit at Notre Dame.
Diggs will bring a tough minded and versatile skill set to Notre Dame’s backfield. He’s talented enough to play early for the Irish.
After being on the field for this Saturday night’s game, there’s no questioning his toughness. The 6-foot, 196-pound talent made the most of his carries for Rummel.
Despite playing against a loaded box and a defense geared to stop him above all else, Diggs consistently gained yards after contact. Some of Diggs’ best runs, in fact, were two and three-yard carries. There simply was not a lot of room to run for much of the evening. Diggs played hard and his tough runs kept the chains moving for Rummel.
Every few carries he’d find a crease and hit a seven-yard run, then another nice run. Consistent, methodical and effective defines Diggs’ performance. Again, John Curtis had one goal: stop Diggs. That was clear for the entire game, yet Diggs still finished with 112 yards on 23 carries.
While he never broke away for a long touchdown run, Diggs made it easier for teammates to make plays, namely one-on-one coverage for wide receivers, and that’s why Rummel ended up prevailing 20-14. Several of the Rummel wideouts ended up being absolutely wide open. There were other aspects of Diggs’ game that stood out; his vision comes to mind first.
As mentioned prior, there was not much room to run. What was great to witness stemmed from Diggs’ ability to hit cut back lanes, quickly place his foot in the ground and go directly towards the hole and gain positive yards. As soon as he saw an opportunity, he took it. That’s when that toughness led to yards after contact. Perhaps the biggest surprise came from Diggs in the passing game.
One of the things that many college running backs struggle with is pass protection, especially freshmen. Diggs absolutely stoned multiple linebackers coming on blitzes, and also de-cleated a defender during an outside run when he was the lead blocker.
He may not come in and be an immediately dominant pass blocker for Notre Dame, but he’s light years ahead of several other Notre Dame running backs at the same stage of their careers.
Diggs overpowering defensive players and his willingness to block bodes well for him being an option to play early for Notre Dame, especially in the passing game.
He also catches the ball well. Even during a low throw with a defender right behind him, Diggs made a nice catch on a check down. He was not a consistent target, but it was good to see Diggs make a difficult catch. Lastly, he can make defenders miss.
Diggs had a long touchdown called back during a punt return. Despite the penalty, Diggs provided great vision and great ability to make that first defender miss. That’s key. Get past the first player and get up to speed, then there’s a chance for a big play. That’s what Diggs accomplished.
His shiftiness when attempting to make the first defender miss in the hole is quite natural. Diggs also tends to spin off tacklers and/or use a good forward lean once contact is initiated. Those traits served him well Saturday evening, and they will do so once again when playing in Notre Dame Stadium during many a Saturday evening.
Notre Dame gained an all-around running back with the addition of Diggs. He’s a player that’s capable of helping the Irish as early as 2021. He could work into the rotation because it would be hard to find better running backs when considering the complete package. Modern college running back must block and catch well, and not just tote the football. Diggs provides the skills to do all three.
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