The Los Angeles Rams are under national review after choosing Jared Goff as the number one overall pick. Terms like franchise, future and bust are seemingly tweeted after every practice snap. However, what many people are overlooking is who the Rams drafted with their following pick, Western Kentucky tight end Tyler Higbee. The fourth round pick is a 6’6″, 250-pound receiving-oriented tight end.
Despite his intimidating size and rampant athleticism, the massive offensive leader has made his name known to NFL scouts more for his injuries and off-field issues than for his on-field play. General manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher once again embraced the risk that no other teams would take and the result may just be the saving grace to the Rams’ limp passing game.
The Impact of Los Angeles Rams Tight End Tyler Higbee
Receiver-Turned-Tight End
Tyler Higbee can catch a pass. By far one of his greatest assets is his receiving capabilities. Yet before even considering his pro-level hands, anyone throwing in his direction will relish the opportunity simply for his height. Higbee will begin his tenure as the tallest pass catcher on the roster this year, an advantage that originally had him lining up on the outside.
He started his Hilltopper career as a wide receiver, but only managed two receptions in his freshman year, albeit for an average of 46 yards per catch. As he made the switch to tight end, his numbers began to explode, providing for more targets and thus opportunities to show the talent that resulted in him dropping only two passes in his last two years in the Sun Belt Conference. Higbee was an absolute team star his senior year, catching for a total of 563 yards and eight touchdowns in only nine games, tying for the most touchdown receptions by an NCAA tight end.
With stats like these, how could he have slipped so late in the draft?
Blocking Issues
Every player has their own balance of attributes and some are more balanced than others. However, in the NFL, and especially at the tight end position, one must do everything well. Higbee is fast, tall, and has great hands, but most teams became cautious when noting his blocking ability.
Though noteworthy playmakers like New England Patriot Rob Gronkowski and Carolina Panther Greg Olsen have put an increased importance on a tight end’s catching ability, both of them also have excellent pass and run blocking skills. In Higbee’s case, being a converted wide receiver is a handicap in that facet. His struggles in holding pockets for quarterback Jared Goff or opening lanes for running back Todd Gurley are perhaps his biggest obstacles toward the starting spot, especially with the solid blocking of veterans Lance Kendricks and Cory Harkey.
Higbee will need to put in some extra work to refine his blocking fundamentals and round out his game. However, his defining trait will always be his ability to run crisp routes and mismatch with shorter and slower defenders, which will be most of the league with his frame.
Injury Concerns
Whether guard, tackle, center, or tight end, Rams fans are very familiar with injuries on their line. Higbee brings more of the same along with him from Western Kentucky. The reason he was unable to finish his final games, including a matchup against LSU and a trip to the Miami Beach Bowl, was due to a knee injury. His knee problems also made it so that he was unable to participate in some Combine activities, leaving even more uncertainty in his NFL capabilities. Knee issues are a very serious matter in all levels of football, but when building up a new offense and looking at a player to fulfill a major role, they become a top concern.
Character Issues
What potentially saw Higbee drop so far down in the draft was a character issue that occurred only 18 days before the draft. The star tight end was involved in an altercation with a man outside of a Kentucky bar that ultimately ended in a brain hemorrhage and concussion for the man and charges of assault, public intoxication, and evading police for Higbee. On May 5, he pleaded not guilty on claims of self-defense, and will have to appear back in court in September.
Prior to the charge, analysts were projecting Higbee to be picked up quickly by one of the many teams interested in the versatile young player, which included the Denver Broncos, the New Orleans Saints, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Green Bay Packers. It was even considered to be surprising if he were not to be taken prior to the fourth round. However, when the Rams made their next pick following the number one overall selection, Higbee was still available and the talented former receiver was eagerly added to a lacking receiving corps in Los Angeles.
Receiving Ability
Tyler Higbee was drafted for one reason above all else: his ability to catch the football. The former receiver fell right in line with the rest of the Rams’ picks that were executed to bring in new targets for their new quarterback. This is due to the fact that the Rams have been one of the worst passing offenses in recent memory, having not even one receiver surpass 1,000 yards in a season during the past five years. This failure is on counts of both bad passing quarterbacks and underwhelming receivers, and the team management is intent on that being an inadequacy of the past.
Higbee is a great first step. The tall and dynamic target will be a perfect complement to the short, speedy Tavon Austin and either Jared Goff or Case Keenum will be able to throw passes even higher and more out of reach from defenders than they would to their other top target, the six-foot-three Kenny Britt. Higbee will be too quick for linebackers and too big for defensive backs, becoming a threat up the seam and under the coverage.
Summary
Though the Rams released the productive tight end Jared Cook in the off-season, their drafting of Tyler Higbee could very likely have them with a much stronger passing game, and their first impactful one in far too long. He made this hope much more realistic in his first preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys where he caught five big passes for 49 total yards and emerged as a serious option for offensive coordinator Rob Boras’ game plans. Three of those receptions came from Jared Goff, who is also Higbee’s roommate at training camp, giving even more indication of the power combination Los Angeles may be seeing sooner rather than later.
Head coach Jeff Fisher is no stranger to gambling on players with off-field issues and he continues to focus on football ability instead of personal mistakes. In the case of former Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins, this strategy was a major success that helped Fisher build up a solid defense. Though Higbee’s off-field issues are still being resolved, he has shown that his on-field play is no issue at all. As week one approaches and the Rams brace themselves for a full-fledged defensive assault on their unproven passing game, Higbee will have all the tools to be the star the Rams so desperately need.
