Las Vegas Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: WR Elijah Higgins, Stanford
The Las Vegas Raiders brought in one of the best wide receivers last season, but with injuries across the pass catchers, it made it very difficult for the passing game to operate consistently.
One of the questions coming in as the Raiders move through the offseason is whether they will re-sign some of the wide receivers from last season or if they would start fresh once again.
The 2023 NFL Draft does not offer as many highly-talented wide receivers as in previous drafts.
Fortunately, Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham had the opportunity to look closely at a handful of offensive prospects during the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
This off-season, we'll be working alongside SI’s Draft Bible to get you the latest information on any potential wide receivers the Raiders might consider drafting.
“We’re going to continue to find players who fit what we look for, and continue to build this team in our vision, and I think we’re going to, at the same time, our goal is to win football games, and our goal for next year is to make an improvement over where we were this year,” Raiders General Manager Dave Ziegler said.
Wide Receiver Elijah Higgins, Stanford Cardinal
“At his size, Higgins will make the transition to tight end at the next level, where he’ll be an effective receiver but he must improve his blocking,” Draft Bible said of Higgins.
Higgins is a wide receiver at heart, having played inside and wide, but he has the size and frame of the modern hybrid tight end at 6-3 inches and 228 pounds, plus he has the speed.
As a senior in 2022, Higgins started all 12 games for the Cardinal, lining up across the entire field, but primarily inside the slot and at tight end.
Higgins led Stanford receivers with 59 receptions for 704 yards and two touchdowns while being on an offense that struggled all season.
Throughout the year, defenses were facing a mismatch going against Higgins.
Higgins' speed created great separation, while his strength bodied smaller cornerbacks.
Higgins struggled on the outside while positioning himself in 50-50 balls; his route-running ability is not the best, but it is not poor either. His tape this past season is not the best due to Stanford’s offensive struggles.
The Cardinal product will be an interesting player to watch until the draft.
Once a day three selection, Higgins is projected to get drafted around the fourth to the fifth draft round, thanks to a great showing at the Senior Bowl, and can go even higher if he displays a good 40-yard running time.
The Raiders can add a quick, physical receiver who can help the offense get those contested catches inside, especially on short-yardage situations.
The NFL Draft will occur at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., from Thursday, April 27 to Saturday, April 29. ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network will broadcast all seven rounds.
The NFL Scouting Combine is Feb. 28-March 6, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. March 7, 2023, before 4 p.m. EST, is the club's deadline to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 13-15 is the free agent negotiation period. Starting at 12 p.m. EDT on March 13 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. EDT on March 15, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2022 Player Contracts at 4 p.m. EDT on March 15.
The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period begins at 4 p.m. EDT on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.
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