John Hightower, WR, Boise State
The depth of this year’s wide receiver class is going to push some tremendous talent down the draft board. Boise State’s John Hightower might be one such example. Hightower was a three-star recruit coming out of the JUCO ranks, having played junior college football at Hinds Community College in Mississippi. He considered scholarship offers from Arizona State and Kansas but opted for the blue turf at Boise State. While on campus, Hightower has been a true vertical threat. During the 2018 season, his first with the Broncos, Hightower’s average depth of target was more than 18 yards downfield and he turned his 46 targets into 31 receptions for 504 yards and six touchdowns.
The first box that he checks as a receiver, particularly a vertical threat, is speed. Hightower ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the Combine in Indianapolis, with a 1.49 10-yard split, a split that placed him in the 98th percentile among wide receivers. This is not just track speed, however, as it shows up on tape:
Boise State WR John Hightower is a burner. pic.twitter.com/0t98i5Iw9A
— Rob Paul (@RobPaulNFL) July 13, 2019
You often hear the expression “if he’s even, he’s leaving.” Hightower shows that on this play. He wins the route on the first few steps off the line, erasing any semblance of a pre-snap cushion and getting into top gear in a flash (remember that 10-yard split). From there, Hightower just extends the separation, showing that long speed en route to a huge touchdown.
Vertical threats need to have great ball tracking skills downfield, and that is a box that Hightower checks as well:
🎥 1 play. 76 yards. Touchdown.
Bachmeier with the 💣 to John Hightower to double the Bronco lead to 14-0!#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/rrWFTtHG6F
— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) October 6, 2019
Hightower’s vertical route takes him up the field well inside of the numbers, but the throw here from his quarterback takes him almost to the bottom of the numbers themselves. But the receiver tracks this football perfectly, secures the reception, and races to the end zone for the core. Oh, and you probably noticed the separation he got on this route as well.
Denzel Mims and Tee Higgins are looked at as perhaps the top two vertical, X type of receivers in this class. Teams that are eyeing those players in the top half of this draft and miss out might be overjoyed if the Boise State product is staring them in the face come Day Three.