OXNARD, Calif. – Trevon Diggs may be the younger brother of Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs, but the ex-receiver found his calling at cornerback. At Alabama, he played both offense and defense as a true freshman before Nick Saban switched him from receiver to corner. Diggs primarily lined up as the left cornerback in Saban’s press heavy scheme, but he also covered inside receivers. The move has proven to be a return of investment.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Diggs in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, and he notched 58 combined tackles, 1.0 sack, a tackle for loss, 15 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and three interceptions during his first-year campaign. He became the first rookie defender in team history to lead the team in pass breakups (15) and interceptions (3), despite missing four games due to a foot injury. Diggs was targeted 76 times, the second-highest total on the Cowboys’ defense.
As a rookie, Diggs underwent growing pains in the Cowboys’ secondary adjusting to the speed of the NFL. He had lapses in coverage at times, giving up big plays, but his competitiveness set him apart.
He prides himself on getting his hands on the football with ex-receiver instincts and at the conclusion of the 2020 season, Diggs reviewed his tape and counted the number of plays he fell short. An unorthodox method but one that will accelerate the growth process. He did not focus on his interception count but prioritized the ones he should have had but did not. That is a winner’s mentality.
“I got my hands on 14 balls,” Diggs described to media. “I ended up with not 14 interceptions. So that’s a problem…So, it’s kind of instinctive for me because I want to catch the football, and even though the quarterback is not throwing me the football, if I’m in position to catch the football, that’s what I want to do.”
He is the unquestioned starter on the outside in Dallas’ backfield and his one-on-one matchups throughout camp have drawn attention. Diggs had an interception in two-consecutive practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. Diggs has mirrored receivers and has showcased superb ball-tracking skills. He has actively pursued the football and many that have not resulted in picks, were batted down or contested.
Last year due to COVID, Diggs did not receive a proper offseason program and most of his learning came from zoom meetings. Now will a full offseason program, his ceiling is limitless for 2021. Going up against stellar wideouts in the SEC and learning the NFL’s route tree from his brother, have prepared him for this moment.
