BEREA: Browns rookie wide receiver Rashard Higgins is out for revenge.
The first clue is on his Twitter profile. It reads: “Should’ve never doubted 18-172.”
Eighteen receivers were drafted in April before the Browns selected Higgins in the fifth round at No. 172 overall. He can name just about all of them.
“I’ve got a lot of motivation coming my way,” Higgins said Tuesday before the 10th practice of training camp. “I feel like I should have been higher than that, but you know what? God put me in this predicament for a reason.
“I mean it’s no hate against those guys [drafted before me]. But I just got like a revenge to go out and show the people what I’m really about.”
Nicknamed “Hollywood” at age 6 or 7 by his Pee Wee football coach, Higgins is bold enough to declare he should have been a first-round choice.
“I believe I live up to the name,” said Higgins, who also goes by “Wood,” short for “Hollywood.” “I’ve got a lot of people that are counting on me, so I’ve got to live [to it]. I’m not going to be too flashy with it. I’m going to take care of my business.”
Higgins’ first shot to prove himself in a real game setting will arrive Friday, when the Browns visit the Green Bay Packers in the preseason opener beginning at 8 p.m.
“This is my first NFL game,” he said. “I’m a little nervous. I’m a little excited. But I’m ready, and I know this team is ready.”
Higgins, 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, is well positioned to earn his keep in a competitive receiving corps. Former All-Pro Josh Gordon, rookie first-round pick Corey Coleman, former quarterback Terrelle Pryor and savvy veteran Andrew Hawkins are the headliners. Higgins, though, has seemingly separated himself from two rookie receivers the Browns drafted ahead of him, Ricardo Louis (fourth round, No. 114) and Jordan Payton (fifth round, No. 154).
“He knows how to play the game,” coach Hue Jackson said. “He’s got tremendous hands. He’s just understanding the National Football League game, working at it every day, very proud of the things he’s done. I’m just excited about watching all these guys do it on Friday.”
Added associate head coach-offense Pep Hamilton: “For a young guy, his skill set is above average. He can do a lot of things with regards to beating press coverage and running routes. His routes are fairly detailed for a young guy, and he’s still a work in progress, but he’s shown tremendous progress over the course of training camp.”
Higgins, 21, has logged countless hours working on route running during his downtime.
“Every time I get a chance I’m always working on how I can beat my defender coming in and out of my break,” he said. “I know if I’m pitter-pattering trying to get out of my break, that gives the DB more time to close in on me and break the ball up.”
He’s been working out in his hometown of Dallas with noted trainer David Robinson since high school.
Robinson’s list of NFL clients includes Denver Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders, Washington tight end Jordan Reed, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
“He’s trained the top dogs, and I’m one of them,” said Higgins, who grabbed 96 passes and led the nation in 2014 with 1,750 receiving yards and 17 touchdown catches at Colorado State University before his production dipped a bit last year to 75 receptions for 1,062 yards and eight touchdowns.
Higgins spent his summer break before camp doing drills with Robinson to improve his footwork and speed.
“People say I’m not fast,” said Higgins, who posted a time of 4.64 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. “But I feel like when the time comes, s---, I’m fast enough.”
He also worked on his hands by catching passes from Robinson outside at nighttime.
“You’ve got to really focus on that ball,” Higgins said. “If not, it’s coming right to your chest, to your face.”
The hard work has paid off thus far in camp, and Higgins has set a strangely specific goal for his rookie season.
“I want seven touchdowns, man,” he said. “However I can get them, I’m going to do it.”
Why seven?
“Seven’s just been like a lucky number. Seven or more, man,” he said. “Right now, they’ve got Corey in front of me. I know he was drafted in the first round. So if I come in, he needs a blow, I’m going to make that touchdown that he should have been in for.”
Higgins wants to score for the Browns even when the ball isn’t in his hands.
“If I can’t contribute on offense, I’m going to do it on special teams,” he said. “If I can be that one guy that makes that touchdown block, that’s how I’m going to do it. And also, man, that’ll be my seven points if I make that touchdown block.”
Of course a player with as much confidence and flair as Higgins would say he should’ve been drafted earlier, but he’s not the only one. NFLDraftScout.com analyst Dane Brugler gave him a second-round grade before the draft.
So why did Higgins slide to the fifth round?
“I really don’t know,” he said, “but it happened for a reason.”
Perhaps Higgins was destined to be driven by it.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.