Michigan Football: Karan Hidgon is the next Phillip Lindsay

Former Michigan football star running back Karan Higdon has taken a path the NFL which mimics the Broncos star, Phillip Lindsay. Will Higdon’s rookie year cement his name on NFL rosters just like Lindsay did last season?

During Phillip Lindsay’s final two seasons playing for Colorado, he produced two 1,000+ yard seasons and two 10+ touchdown seasons. In his last two seasons at Michigan football, Karan Higdon ran for 994 yards in 2017 and 1,178 yards in 2018, both years clearing ten or more touchdowns.

Lindsay’s pre-draft measurables: 5-foot-8, 190 pounds.

Higdon: 5-foot-9, 206 pounds.

While Lindsay blew Karan out of the water in receiving yards, the same goes for Hidgon in the weight room. Lindsay’s bench reps ended at 14 while Higdon pushed the bar up 21 times. Both lived in Power five conferences and both received early playing time.

Even the NFL teams they landed on have similar circumstances.

When Lindsay arrived in Denver, the running back situation was completely up in the air. C.J. Anderson and Jamal Charles led the pack, two highly regarded veteran former pro-bowlers, both dumped by the Broncos.

In Houston, Karan, a two-year starter for Michigan football, will be competing with 28-year-old Lamar Miller and his untested backup, D’Onta Foreman, for playing time. Though Higdon won’t be given a gift like Lindsay; he will have to overtake the aging Miller, forging his own path to success.

There’s no better person for that challenge than Karan.

Search Higdon’s name and you will find the Houston media already raving about Higdon’s potential.

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Four Undrafted Free Agents That Can Make the Houston Texans’ Roster

The last article listed Higdon as the undrafted free agent most likely to make the team.

"In my book, Higdon is the chalk among this class of undrafted free agents to make the team. Combine the acute need at that position — right now, the entire depth chart is essentially Lamar Miller and D’Onta Foreman — with Higdon’s productivity and tools (ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at his pre-draft workouts, and gained over 1,000 yards last season at Michigan), and perhaps the Texans have found their next great undrafted running back. Of course, I may have said the same thing last year about UDFA RB Terry Swanson, and he didn’t even make the Texans’ practice squad. For what it’s worth, longtime NFL personnel guru had Higdon as the No. 1 undrafted RB, so there’s that."

It also mentioned that of the 65 players on the current roster, 28 of them came into the league as undrafted free agents.

Although Higdon might not start right away, he’s an injury or a bad game away from seeing the field and that’s all he will need to take over the backfield, a backfield that’s his for the taking.

“Houston will be hoping that Higdon can work his way into their running back group and potentially become the star back they have yet to find.”