Stefon Diggs is playing for a new team for the first time in his NFL career. After spending the first five seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, Diggs now plays for the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills are off to a hot start to the 2020 season, and Diggs is one of the top receivers in the league. Before entering the league, Diggs had an impressive college career.
Stefon Diggs was one of the top players during his time in Minnesota
The Vikings selected Diggs in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. Diggs signed a four-year $2.5 million contract, which included a $227,000 signing bonus. He made his NFL debut during Week 4 of the 2015 season against the Denver Broncos. During the game, he had six receptions for a team-high 87 yards. Diggs had one of his best performances during Week 14 as he finished with seven receptions for 129 yards. He followed that up with another impressive performance as he reeled in six passes for 108 yards.
Diggs became the first rookie since Randy Moss in 1998 to record consecutive 100-yard games and 80 or more receiving yards in his first three games. He finished his rookie season with 52 receptions for 720 yards and four touchdowns. His performance led him to be named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Throughout his career in Minnesota, he blossomed into one of the Vikings’ top receivers.
During the 2018 and 2019 season, Diggs played at a high level. Diggs finished the 2018 season with a career-high in receptions (102) and touchdowns (9). That season, Diggs and fellow receiver Adam Thielen gave the Vikings their first pair of 1,000+ yard receivers since Moss and Carter in 2000. The next season, Diggs continued to be a top target for the Vikings. He finished the 2019 season with a career-high 1,130 receiving yards. He also added six touchdowns.
Stefon Diggs making an immediate impact with the Buffalo Bills
Diggs finished his career in Minnesota with 365 receptions for 4,623 yards and 30 touchdowns. After the 2019 season, the Vikings traded Diggs to the Bills in March of 2020. In his first game as a member of the Bills, he caught eight passes for 86 yards against the New York Jets. The next week, Diggs put together an impressive performance as he had eight catches for 153 yards and his first touchdown with the Bills against the Miami Dolphins.
Through five games, the Bills have a 4-1 record and at the top of the AFC East. Diggs is one of the top receivers in the league as he’s currently in fifth place in receiving yards. Through five games with Buffalo, he has 509 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also seventh in the league in receptions with 36. If the Bills can continue to play at a high level throughout the season, they’ll be in the playoffs. Diggs will also play an important role in the success of the team this season.
Stefon Diggs was an all-around athlete on the football team in college
Diggs was one of the top high school players in the country. He was the No. 1 rated player in the state of Maryland by Rivals.com. Diggs was ranked as the No. 13 prospect in the nation and the No. 3 athlete in the class of 2012 by ESPN.com. Recruited by the likes of Florida, USC, and Auburn, Diggs decided to stay in-state and attend the University of Maryland.
He made an immediate impact during his freshman year. Diggs finished his first year with 1,896 all-purpose yards, which were second-most in a single season in school history. He was selected second-team All-ACC return specialist in 2012 and finished second to Duke’s Jamison Crowder for ACC Rookie of the Year. During his time at Maryland, he spent time at receiver and a return specialist. Diggs was a second-team All-Big Ten selection his junior year despite missing some games due to injury. His performance at Maryland allowed him to further his football career and make it to the NFL.
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference
