How Oak Ridge's Tee Higgins became one of the most coveted receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft

INDIANAPOLIS - If life is really a coin flip, Tee Higgins probably feels he’ll end up on the right side.

The odds were against him, as he pointed out Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine.

His mother, Camilla — or Lady as she’s commonly known — was addicted to drugs, behind bars and in a toxic relationship that left her with two bullet wounds.

As Higgins volunteered, there was also no guarantee he’d escape where he grew up in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

“A lot of guys from my hometown don’t make it out,” he said. “They have the potential to, but they drop out.”

According to Higgins, it’s a bit of a crapshoot — sort of like those 50-50 jump balls the 6-foot-4 receiver had a habit of pulling down during his lustrous career at Clemson.

Of course with him, Higgins boasted, it’s “80-20 my way.”

“I use my basketball background to help me … you know boxing out, but if I’m obviously behind a defender I just use my jumping ability for like a rebound. It’s really being more physical than that defender, just got to muscle him and take it away basically.”

Those acrobatic receptions at one of the nation’s top programs made him a household name — an instant celebrity in this age of shareable GIFs and YouTube highlights.

So did the fact that he scored on one of every five passes he caught.

That absurd ratio has catapulted Higgins up the NFL draft boards as one of the most coveted receivers in the 2020 class, and he’s projected to be picked in the first round.

'Tall, long and rangy' like A.J. Green

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah described Higgins as “tall, long and rangy,” likening him to Cincinnati Bengals star wideout A.J. Green.

“I don't think he's on that level,” he added, “but that's the style with which he plays.”

Jeremiah didn’t want to proclaim Higgins was the second coming of Green, the seven-time Pro Bowler, because he has some reservations about the ex-Clemson standout.

First and foremost is his decline in production during the most recent College Football Playoff, where he made only seven catches and his greatest highlight came on a rugged 36-yard touchdown run off a reverse in the national championship game.

Higgins said the press coverage he faced against Ohio State and LSU during the CFP posed some challenges and “was definitely different.”

He also acknowledged he had a limited assortment of routes that may have spurred that slump.

But Clemson coach Dabo Swinney had nothing but praise for Higgins on the December night the receiver stole the show in a 62-7 victory over Virginia in the ACC title game.

After Higgins caught nine passes for 182 yards, scored three touchdowns and was named the MVP, Swinney said, “He's just really, really worked his tail off from a fundamental standpoint, a technique standpoint, physical standpoint, his knowledge of the game, and he's just become a very talented route runner. He's got some freaky ball skills. He can make any type of catch. He's got kind of DeAndre Hopkins type ball skills. He's got Mike Williams length. But he's got some explosiveness to him, as well.

“He's a dynamic player, and just a super, super young man. I mean, just an absolute joy to be around every single day. Never one problem ever.”

Higgins, though, knows it could have been different, that it could have gone the other way.

That’s how life sometimes goes, like a coin flip or a 50-50 ball.

To this point, he has happily avoided that other side — the darker one where his mother once was. He’s constantly reminded of that even here in Indianapolis, where he stands at the doorstep of the NFL.

“She’s had it worse than I have,” he said. “Having a bad play, having a bad game, I think about that. This is nothing compared to that … she’s at home, calling me every night, telling me make sure you pray, stay in the books so you can get these interviews down and may God be with you.”