Clemson football star Tee Higgins has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft. On Wednesday, January 15, the star wide receiver and potential first-round pick announced that he would be forgoing his final year of college eligibility to achieve his dream of being a pro.
Higgins announced his decision to declare for the draft in a lengthy, heartfelt statement on social media.
Throughout his time at Clemson, Higgins was a part of one national championship-winning team and hauled in 135 receptions for 2,448 yards and 27 touchdowns.
“The last three years at Clemson have been unbelievable. 1 National Championship and 3 College Football Playoff appearances are accomplishments and experiences that can never be taken away,” Higgins wrote in a statement. “But Clemson is so much more than that. Clemson is different. It’s hard to explain — I know it has been said that there’s something in these hills, and as someone who grew up on the other side of those hills in Tennessee, I can tell you that it is 100% true — there really is something in these hills. If I had to boil it down to one word I guess it would have to be “FAMILY.” Clemson is family. I have been loved and treated like family from day one. I have formed relationships that will last a lifetime.
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“I want to thank Coach Swinney for just giving me the opportunity to pursue my dreams and for pushing me to grow and become a better man. I want to thank Coach Scott and Coach Elliott for making me a better player and always being there for me. I want to thank my teammates — football is the ultimate team sport — y’all are my boys forever. I want to thank all the rest of the staff too, including equipment managers, strength and conditioning coaches, training room staff, and academic advisors. You guys make it happen for us to be the best we can be and I’m grateful for that. I want to thank the fans for their incredible support. All of you together make Clemson feel like family. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it. I want to thank God for all He has blessed me with — none of this is possible without Him.
“Finally, I want to thank my own family — my mom and sister. You both have sacrificed so much for me to be in this position. I love you. You are why I do what I do. It has always been my dream to play in the NFL and take care of my family. Because of Clemson I now have the opportunity to do that. So it is with a grateful heart that I announce today my intention to enter the 2020 NFL Draft.”
The 2020 NFL Draft will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from April 23 to April 25. Las Vegas edged out bids from cities like Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Cleveland/Canton.
In recent years, the NFL has strayed from tradition and moved the draft out of New York City, where it had been held for years.
In 2015, the NFL Draft moved to Chicago, Illinois which marked the first time since 1965 that the draft was held outside of New York City. It was held at Auditorium Theatre in Grant Part which marked the first draft to feature an outdoor component. The draft returned to Chicago in 2016 after the great reception a year prior. In 2017, the draft shifted to Philadelphia where it was held on the iconic Rocky Steps outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It was the most attended draft in NFL history with more than 250,000 fans.
Then, in 2018, the draft was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and it marked more NFL first’s. It was the first time in history that the draft was held in the state of Texas, while also being the first draft to take place in an NFL stadium. The 2019 NFL Draft was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
