He strikes as a shy, reserved person in front of cameras, but once a wide receiver enters his direction on the field, there is no getting off the island.
The summers he has spent training with his older brother, Stefon Diggs, has helped him become one of college football’s top coverage cornerbacks.
Trevon Diggs, a native of Maryland, missed nine games last season with a foot injury and he was terribly missed in Alabama’s secondary.
His replacement, Saivion Smith, was not of the same quality – despite being a five star – and he surrendered the big plays to opposing teams in the passing game. In the eyes of Crimson Tide supporters, the team would have defeated Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship in January with Diggs.
The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder gives a better matchup for Tigers’ receiver, Justyn Ross, and his blend of length and press abilities would have locked Ross down.
RELATED: Alabama 2020 NFL Draft projections
Although some people under rate his value, Diggs told local reporters before the season that Alabama’s defensive backfield is ‘playing for respect.’ The former four-star has earned his part through four games, as ‘Diggs Island’ has not allowed a 100-yard receiver on his side.
As a second-year starter at left corner, he is pacing a defense that’s allowed 10.8 points and 288 yards offensively per contest. The Tide allows just 189 passing yards, while forcing five interceptions to four scoring tosses. Diggs leads the team with two picks and is ninth on the roster in total tackles (12).
Opponents have had a rough time completing passes on third down, seeing how Alabama’s surrendered 17 first downs on 56 tries – 30.4 percent conversion rate.
Diggs’ style has even forced teams to go for it on fourth down, yet only three of seven attempts have been successful. The converted receiver is positioning himself to be a top-15 to top-20 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
With more marquee games on the horizon in the Southeastern Conference for the Tide, Diggs looks forward to making guys miserable on his island.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
