Jayden Higgins journey from high school to the NFL Draft is unlike many from South Florida

When you think of former high school standouts from South Florida, Higgins' name may have not been in the limelight during his prep days, but his path to the NFL Draft has been filled with hard work and consistency

Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Caleb McCullough (22) and defensive back Shamari Simmons (7) and Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jayden Higgins (9) in action during the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

When you played your high school football down in South Florida, folks think of the big names like Miami Central's Dalvin Cook, Pahokee's Anquan Boldin and St. Thomas Aquinas' Nick Bosa.

Between the 305 and 954, the amount of star power that's entered the draft and become stars has been abundant over the years.

Tonight, the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft will take place at the historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin and one former South Florida product that hopes to hear his name come Day 2 or 3 is Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins, who played his high school ball at Miami Westminster Christian.

Coming out of high school, Higgins initially committed to Eastern Kentucky before later on joining Iowa State. Only ranked a 2-star by 247Sports coming out of Westminster Christian, Higgins wasn't exactly a big-name player out of South Florida.

Over time, however, Higgins proved he belonged and then some.

The 6-foot-4, 214-pound wide out over the last two years has been very productive for the Cyclones, hauling in 53 catches for 983 yards and six touchdowns in his first season. Higgins continued to build a strong rapport with quarterback Rocco Becht, a former Florida high school football player himself, and Higgins in 2024 had his best season.

This past 2024 season with the Cyclones, Higgins hauled in 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns. Consistency at the position along with talent has made Higgins an attractive prospect for many NFL teams.

With the ideal size, speed combination, Higgins is being projected to be selected in the second or third round of the draft, making him a Day 2 selection. Looking at his height at 6-foot-4, many experts are comparing Higgins to players like Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wideout Mike Evans and Buffalo Bills' wide receiver Keon Coleman, who was selected on Day 2 in 2024.

Here below is NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein evaluation of Higgins heading into tonight's draft:

Big inside/outside wideout with modest athletic attributes but outstanding ball skills that make him a projectable NFL prospect. Higgins needs a more limited route tree but can operate on all three levels in the right scheme. He’s smooth but physical in his routes and does a nice job of creating pockets of separation with force and strength. He has mismatch qualities from the slot with body control and a catch radius that make him a menace on jump balls downfield. He won’t outrun cornerbacks and is nothing special after the catch, but his size, ball skills and competitiveness create a profile of production as a future contributor in three-wide sets. 

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi