Some guys are just better players with their pads on between lines once the game kicks off. For one reason or another, be it nerves or simply not a strong suit, some players may not test well at the NFL Scouting Combine or their pro day.
For some of those players, all teams need to do is turn on the film to realize there is more than meets the eye or the test results. Some guys are natural football players, and Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Jay Higgins is one of those.
Despite not testing as well as he would have liked at the NFL Scouting Combine, Higgins clearly shows his value when you see the tape and his output while at Iowa. Even with his production, he has slid down some teams’ draft boards.
That has Jay Higgins ranked as one of CBS Sports’ most underrated prospects in the 2025 NFL draft.
Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa
CBS Sports NFL Draft Prospect Ranking: 235
Higgins’ draft stock absolutely tanked after a rough combine performance, where he ran a 4.82-second 40-yard dash and posted a sub-9.5-foot broad jump. While his physical traits may not jump off the page, there’s no denying he’s an impactful player. He had 289 total tackles from 2023-24 and logged a career-high four interceptions and five pass deflections last season. He’s also consistently graded as one of the best pass coverage linebackers since he emerged as a starter at Iowa, suggesting that he moves a lot better on the field than he does in underwear. – Will Backus, CBS Sports
Jay Higgins totaled 341 career tackles with Iowa, and that does not occur by accident. Even more impressive isthat 171 of those tackles came in one breakout season to put him on the map of NFL teams.
His ability to produce is only furthered by his nose for the ball. With nine pass deflections, five interceptions, four fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles, Jay Higgins is a prospect waiting to make an NFL team very happy in the future.
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