Getty Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs
After Sunday’s win over the Giants, during which Trevon Diggs recorded his NFL-leading sixth interception of the season, the Dallas Cowboys second-year cornerback was being uttered in the same breath as franchise legend Deion Sanders.
Stephen Jones said Trevon Diggs interception today was Deion Sanders like. He invoked Prime time on his own. It’s bigger than me
The similarities to Sanders — a Pro Football Hall of Famer and arguably the greatest cornerback to ever play the game — extend to Diggs’ dual-threat abilities. Converted by Nick Saban at Alabama, the stud defender still views himself as a bonafide wide receiver, and, like “Prime Time,” could eventually moonlight as an offensive playmaker.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott unveiled this revelation in his Week 5 postgame press conference.
Dak Prescott said Trevon Diggs thinks he’s a wide receiver. He’s been asking for some offensive reps in practice. Dak has told him to “Relax.” But Dak adds that maybe the Cowboys need to consider it
Interestingly, we’ve come to know, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones shares Diggs’ self-characterization: that he’s a “receiver faking it as a D-back.”
“He plays that ball and makes those special plays,” Jones said last month, via NFL.com. “And obviously, he’s not only got talent, but by the way, he’s worked to get in position to make those plays. He’s a difference-maker.”
Stay tuned.
The latest Dallas Cowboys news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Cowboys newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Cowboys Newsletter!
Deep Dive Into Latest INT
Last week, Diggs became the first player in Cowboys history to notch an interception across his first four games of a regular season. This week, he added to the total with a phenomenal play against the Giants.
Locked in one-on-one coverage against WR CJ Board, Diggs used his elite athleticism, ball skills, and recovery speed to snag a deep-shot attempt from New York QB Mike Glennon. The pick occurred in the third quarter of the 44-20 drubbing — and it very much invoked shades of Deion.
Incredibly, Diggs — who added three solo tackles and two pass deflections versus Big Blue — now has more INTs than 27 (!) NFL teams through five games, 105.3 The Fan reported.
Follow the Heavy on Cowboys Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Dak Avoids Throwing to Diggs
Before Tom Brady, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Sam Darnold and now Glennon found out, it was Prescott who learned the hard way not to test Diggs’ coverage. Dak explained earlier this month that he typically doesn’t throw at the 6-foot-2 corner during team practices.
“I mean honestly that’s Diggs, some of these interceptions he’s getting, I learned long ago in the spring not to try him on those routes and those plays,” Prescott said on Oct. 3. “So, when he gets interceptions, I almost laugh like, ‘yeah I understand.’ I go back to, I want to say last year[s] training camp when he picked me off in back-to-back two-minute drills, and I knew then that there’s certain routes and certain concepts that you’ve got to know where he is and you’ve got to know his position.
“And he’s just a hell of a player, and he’s going to continue to get interceptions just because of the way he studies, because the way he goes about the game. He’s an instinctive player obviously, he has hands. He’s an old receiver, so he’s disguising a lot of these guys and then also just playing the best guy on the field. He’s going to get the opportunity so just proud of him.”