Former Clemson Receiver Named One of NFL’s Potential Breakout Players in 2021

Clemson fans are all to familiar with exactly what Tee Higgins is capable of on the football field.

After being taken with the first pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Higgins quietly put together a solid rookie season for the Cincinnati Bengals, falling just short of his first 1,000-yard season.

The former All-ACC standout started 14 of the teams 16 games, reeling in 67 passes for 908 yards and six touchdowns. And Higgins did that with starting quarterback Joe Burrow missing a chunk of the season injured.

Heading into 2021, expectations are high. Recently, Higgins was listed as a potential breakout candidate by the folks over at The Post Route.

Despite a strong rookie campaign, Higgins flew under the radar last season — probably because he plays for the Bengals and once Joe Burrow got hurt, he was forced to catch passes from Brandon Allen and Ryan Finley. Still, Higgins managed to lead the team with 908 receiving yards and six TD catches. If Burrow had played all 16 games, then Higgins was, as Christian pointed out earlier this week, on pace for 1,118 receiving yards. With a healthy Burrow and speedy first-rounder Ja’Marr Chase to play alongside of, Higgins — who reportedly turned heads during minicamp — should, like his offensive coordinator put it, “be a problem” for whoever has to line up against him.

Sarah Hardy

Higgins finished his three-year career at Clemson with 135 career receptions for 2,448 yards with 27 receiving touchdowns. His 27 career receiving touchdowns tied for the most in school history with DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins and tied for ninth-most in ACC history. He was selected as a second-team Preseason All-American for 2019 by both Phil Steele and Athlon and departed as the only player in school history to record double-digit touchdown receptions in consecutive seasons.