How high did No. 146 pick Stefon Diggs soar in newly reordered 2015 NFL Draft?

Stefon Diggs has officially cemented himself as one of the most under-drafted players in NFL history. A fifth-round pick in 2015, Diggs has become one of the best receivers in the NFL, making his draft slide in 2015 even more incomprehensible than it was at the time.

In a recent re-draft by Pro Football Focus based on production, the former Maryland football star leapfrogged over an army of first-round quarterbacks and former blue-chip prospects to become the top selection in hindsight.

“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the top pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Winston’s five-year run in Tampa was a rollercoaster, highlighted by his infamous 2019 season when he became the first quarterback in league history to throw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions,” they wrote.

“There wasn’t an obvious choice at No. 1 in this redraft, but we’re giving the Buccaneers wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who originally went in the fifth round to Minnesota.”

Diggs has made four Pro Bowls and ranks as the sixth-most valuable wide receiver in the league since 2015, according to PFF’s wins above replacement metric, they wrote.

How was Diggs so overlooked?

A former five-star recruit who was No. 1 on Maryland football’s all-time list of its highest-rated commitments (but was leapfrogged this year by Zion Elee), Diggs was among the most hyped signings in program history. He made an immediate impact as a true freshman in 2012, racking up more than 800 receiving yards and averaging more than 28 yards per kick return, earning All-American honors as a return man. His explosiveness, vision, and after-the-catch ability were obvious from the jump, but injuries derailed the middle portion of his college career. A broken leg ended his sophomore season early and he never returned to full form during his junior year. Maryland also cycled through inconsistent quarterback play, which limited his numbers and spotlight. Despite elite talent, those durability concerns and lack of gaudy production pushed him down draft boards.

Maryland Football Recruiting Scoop: Reinforcing a thinned-out position

Still, 145 players came off the board before him. The Vikings finally grabbed him at pick No. 146, and the rest is history. By year two, he was already one of the league’s most polished route technicians. In Minnesota, he was part of the “Minneapolis Miracle” and formed a lethal duo with Adam Thielen. In Buffalo, he beca,me Josh Allen’s go-to guy and one of the most productive receivers in the league. He’s racked up four Pro Bowl selections, more than 10,000 receiving yards and 70 touchdowns.

Prior to a disappointing season last year with the Texans, limited by another injury, Diggs had posted six straight seasons of more than 1.000 receiving yards. He’s moved on again, to the New England Patriots.

According to PFF’s wins above replacement metric, Diggs ranks as the sixth-most valuable wide receiver in the NFL since he entered the league. He was the only Maryland player in h first round of the re-draft, but it featured several familiar names. Local products and one-time Terps prospects Adrian Amos (Penn State, No. 142 to No. 9), Rob Havenstein (Wisconsin, No. 57 to No. 10) and Ronald Darby (FSU, No. 50 to No. 22) also climbed into the first round.

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