If you watch Tee Higgins high-pointing a football in the end zone today, it’s like catching a glitch in the Matrix. He makes the impossible look like a routine chore. But before he was the guy making defensive backs in the league question their career choices, he was a skinny kid from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, lighting up the ACC.
Honestly, looking back at the Tee Higgins college stats at Clemson, it’s wild how much they projected the superstar we see now. He wasn’t just a "productive" college receiver. He was a human highlight reel that helped define one of the greatest eras in college football history.
The Raw Numbers: A Three-Year Masterclass
When people talk about the greatest receivers to ever wear the Clemson paw, names like DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins usually lead the conversation. But here’s the kicker: Tee Higgins didn't just join them; he caught them.
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By the time he declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, Higgins had racked up 27 receiving touchdowns. That number isn't just a personal best—it tied the school record held by Hopkins and Watkins. Think about that for a second. He did in three years what the most legendary names in the program’s history did, and he did it with a smoothness that almost looked effortless.
His career yardage wasn’t exactly slouching either. Over 43 games, he hauled in 135 receptions for 2,448 yards. That’s an average of 18.1 yards per catch. Basically, every time the ball touched his hands, Clemson moved nearly a quarter of the field.
Year by Year: The Evolution of a Five-Star
2017: The Freshman Flash
Most freshmen at big-time programs like Clemson spend their first year learning how to find the cafeteria. Tee was different. Even though he only started a handful of games, he managed 17 catches for 345 yards. The efficiency was already there—averaging over 20 yards per reception right out of the gate.
2018: The National Championship Surge
This was the year the world actually took notice. Playing alongside Hunter Renfrow and Justyn Ross, Higgins became the reliable "X" receiver for a young Trevor Lawrence. He finished the season with 59 catches for 936 yards and 12 touchdowns.
But the stats don't tell the whole story of 2018. It was the way he scored. Whether it was the back-shoulder fades or the leaping grabs in the corner of the end zone, he was becoming a red-zone nightmare. He capped it all off with a 44-16 drubbing of Alabama to win the National Championship.
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2019: Elite Efficiency
If 2018 was the breakout, 2019 was the coronation. Higgins went for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns on 59 receptions. Take a look at that catch-to-yardage ratio. He didn't need 100 targets to break a game open. He was a big-play machine who earned First-team All-ACC honors and was the MVP of the ACC Championship game against Virginia.
What the Stats Don’t Tell You
Numbers are great for spreadsheets, but they don't capture the "Tee Higgins Effect."
I remember watching him against Syracuse in 2019. He had 150 yards in the first half. It didn’t matter who they put on him. At 6'4", he had a wingspan that made his "catch radius" feel like the size of a garage door.
- The Catch Radius: He made Trevor Lawrence's life easy. If the ball was within three yards of Tee, it was his.
- The Body Control: Most guys that tall are clunky. Tee was a basketball player in high school, and you could see it in how he adjusted his mid-air.
- The Consistency: He is the only player in Clemson history to record double-digit touchdown receptions in back-to-back seasons.
Why NFL Scouts Were Obsessed
When you look at the Tee Higgins college stats, the 27 touchdowns are the flashing neon sign. NFL teams crave "finishers"—guys who can score when the field shrinks.
There was some chatter before the draft about his 40-yard dash time (he ran a 4.54 at his pro day). People worried he wasn't "fast enough." But anyone who actually watched the Clemson tape knew that was nonsense. His "game speed" and long strides meant he was rarely caught from behind once he got vertical.
He ended up going 33rd overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. Looking back, that was a total steal.
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Actionable Insights: Lessons from the Tape
If you're a young receiver or a fan trying to understand what makes a prospect "legit," here’s what Higgins taught us:
- Production over Projections: Don't get too hung up on track times. If a guy is putting up 18 yards per catch in the ACC for three years, he's fast enough.
- Red Zone Value: Touchdowns are the most expensive currency in football. Higgins’ ability to tie school records held by NFL All-Pros was the ultimate "green flag."
- High-Point the Ball: If you want to see how to properly use your height, go back and watch his 2019 highlights. He never waits for the ball to come to him; he goes and gets it at its highest point.
If you're looking to dive deeper into how college production translates to the pros, I'd suggest comparing Tee's Clemson numbers to his early Cincinnati years. You'll see the exact same player—just in a different jersey. To see how he's faring now, you can check out his latest NFL profile and active season stats.