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“He makes catches where the ball might not be in the right place. He bails me out.”Iowa State QB Rocco Becht, Picture this: a 6’4”, 215-pound wideout with the wingspan of a condor and the footwork of a salsa dancer, snagging passes in traffic like he’s plucking apples from a tree. That’s Jayden Higgins, Iowa State’s human cheat code, who’s been turning DBs into sidewalk chalk all season.

Jacksonville is already sniffing around, needing a WR2 to pair with rookie sensation Brian Thomas Jr. Higgins’ fit? Picture Julio Jones mentoring a young Russell Wilson in Seattle—size, savvy, and enough swagger to make the Duval faithful forget their offseason woes. But while his gridiron poetry—87 catches, 1,183 yards, 9 TDs in 2024—has scouts buzzing, the man behind the helmet remains a mystery. Let’s huddle up and decode the enigma.

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What is Jayden Higgins’ ethnicity?

Higgins’s story starts in South Miami, Florida, a cultural gumbo where salsa beats bump against pickup basketball games and the scent of cafecito lingers in the air. Born to Moses Higgins, a self-made entrepreneur of African American descent, and Holly Poole, an educator of Irish and English descent, Jayden’s roots are as layered as a Miami sunset. His background mirrors the NFL’s quintessential underdog tales—think Julian Edelman’s grit meets Larry Fitzgerald’s grace.

Growing up at Westminster Christian School, Higgins was a two-sport phenom, dunking on defenders and dunking basketballs. His high school stats—23 receptions, 430 yards, 5 TDs in just five games—were less “Friday night lights” and more “hold my Gatorade.” But here’s the kicker: Higgins was a two-star recruit, overlooked by big programs. Cue the Rocky training montage. He took his talents to Eastern Kentucky, balled out (58 catches, 757 yards, 10 TDs in 2022), then transferred to Iowa State, where he became the Cyclones’ go-to chain mover.

 

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“He had that feel to him—like he was one of us already,” says Cyclones OC Nate Scheelhaase, referencing Higgins’s seamless transition. Miami’s melting pot clearly seasoned his game: Higgins plays with the rhythmic flair of DeSanto Sampson but the blue-collar tenacity of a Miami Hurricanes alum. His DNA? A cocktail of hustle, heart, and that unteachable it factor.

Critics harp on his “one-speed” routes, but Higgins silences them with Contested Catch Theatre—think Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-handed grabs meets Anquan Boldin’s “fight for every yard” ethos. Sure, he’s no Tyreek Hill burner, but as Ted Lasso’s Coach Beard once quipped, “Speed kills, but cunning assassinates.” Higgins assassinates coverages with leverage tricks and diamond releases sharper than a South Beach suit.

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Is Jayden Higgins the next big thing in the NFL, or just another overhyped prospect?

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What is Jayden Higgins’s religion?

Westminster Christian School’s motto—“Training Champions for Christ”—might’ve shaped Higgins’ discipline, but pinning his personal beliefs? That’s like trying to tackle Derrick Henry in open field. While the school’s influence is undeniable (think chapel services and scripture-studded hallways), Higgins’s faith remains as private as a playbook.

“His dad’s one of those dudes where the right things matter,” Scheelhaase notes, hinting at a family ethos steeped in integrity. Higgins’s mom, an educator, likely instilled the kind of values that’d make Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World nod approvingly. But on the field, Higgins preaches a different gospel: “Thou shalt not cover me in single coverage.”

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Religious or not, his game is a sermon. Take the 2023 Liberty Bowl, where he dropped a school-record 214 receiving yards—a performance so divine it’d make Moses part of the Red Zone defense. Or his 67-yard TD against Oklahoma, a play that had fans hollering “Hallelujah!” as he high-stepped into the end zone. Higgins’ religion, it seems, is football. And his congregation? The 70,000 screaming faithful at Jack Trice Stadium.

“Any time you have a guy like that, the sky’s the limit,” Scheelhaase adds. Whether Higgins prays post-TD or just pounds his chest, one thing’s clear: his devotion to craft is unquestioned. It’s “Clear releases, full stat sheets.”

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Higgins isn’t just a prospect; he’s a parable. A two-star recruit turned All-American, a small-school transfer turned Big 12 nightmare. His combine stats (6’4”, 33 1/8” arms) scream “NFL prototype,” but his game whispers secrets only true students hear.

So, what’s Jayden Higgins? Ethnicity: gridiron alchemist. Religion: touchdown transcendent. And his draft stock? Rising faster than a Flea Flicker in January.

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Is Jayden Higgins the next big thing in the NFL, or just another overhyped prospect?

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