Following my content, I have a few trademarks when it comes to Devy. I don’t draft quarterbacks that haven’t started one year or less, I don’t draft underweight running backs and I don’t draft tight ends. Yet, Michael Trigg has me eager and willing to break that rule this upcoming Devy Season.
The Prospect
Michael Trigg came out of high school as a 4-star prospect and was ranked the No.4 tight end in his draft class. Trigg was a dual sport athlete in high school playing basketball and football. On the football field, Trigg was a dual position athlete, but on offense, he was a wrecking ball. In his 2019 season (junior year) Trigg racked up 1,232 yards 82 receptions and 16 touchdowns. Trigg originally declared to USC, where he started four games for the Trojans. In those four games, he had seven receptions for 109 yards and one touchdown. After the circus that was USC”s offseason, Trigg entered the transfer portal with his fellow Quarterback and both decided to take their talents to play for Ole Miss.
Shower Narrative
Trigg moving from USC was a bummer mostly because of the role he could have utilized in the Lincoln Riley offense, with Caleb Williams at the helm. Jaxon Dart was the first domino to fall for Ole Miss and their recruiting trail this off-season. Once Dart declared many speculated that Trigg would follow when he entered the portal. The fact that Trigg declared to Ole Miss has me very excited for his projection as an NFL contributor. Ole Miss has brought back returning senior Jonathan Mingo, and senior transfers Malik Heath and Jaylon Robinson. Trigg is going into a tight end room with returning redshirt junior Casey Kelly, freshman Kiyrin Heath, and redshirt freshman Hudson Wolfe. A tight end room that Trigg has already risen above and established himself as a No.1 tight end for the Rebels. Lane Kiffin has already given him praise stating “I was trying to describe what it looks like when older guys played with younger guys when there was the guy in high school playing with the junior high kids, that’s kind of how he plays. (Article found here) The current target tree is vacant of an alpha receiving option. The last exciting piece of the pie for me is that Trigg is coming into a new offense with a pre-established connection with the starting quarterback. Otherwise known as the shower narrative.
Metrics and Film
The metrics on Michael Trigg are too small of a sample to create any meaningful information from. Last year Ole Miss had 386 pass attempts and with Jaxon Dart at the helm that doesn’t figure to change. Ole Miss lost Jerrion Ealy, Dontario Drummond, and Braylon Sanders. This means 182 targets have vacated that offense that Triggs is walking into, who is also the most athletic receiver the Rebels have currently. Trigg has also been blowing up in spring games and fall practice.
Trigg is a violent player initiating contact and utilizes his athleticism to create awkward tackle angles allowing them to deflect off of him instead of landing solid. Trigg also has a subtle physicality at the catch point with contested catches that makes the throws less of a 50-50 ball and more of a 70-30 ball.
A big strong receiver that is also elusive and shows off great contact balance is exactly what is needed when projecting future tight ends.
Cookie Crumbs
Michael Trigg has little on his profile that offers any suggestions on whether he is destined for greatness of obsoleteness. However, the crumbs of the Trigg cookie are pointing toward the greatness outcome than the obsolete outcome. The move from USC may very well turn to be a pivoting point for Trigg. Following his college quarterback, an immediately coming in as one of the top receiver threats are the signs I look for. Then to amplify his projection more the size, speed, physicality, and athleticism outlined above make him downright intoxicating. Having his season cut short via injury is the only reason he can be drafted at such a late ADP in Devy leagues. In any tight-end premium league, he is a player I will happily roster, in a non-premium league he has a higher risk potential. In that case, I would leave him non-rostered unless Devy benches are eight or greater. Tight end is the most difficult position to project for Devy, and, this is as confident as I will feel regarding a Devy tight end. I am all in.