Trevon Diggs had his ups and downs as a rookie but still managed to lead the Dallas Cowboys in interceptions (3) and passes defended (14) in just 12 games, becoming the first rookie defender in team history to top both of those lists. So far in 2021, however, he’s been on an entirely different planet.
Diggs is currently tied for the league lead in interceptions (3) and is tops in passes defended (6) through the first three games of the season. He’s the only player that has registered an interception in every game and has hauled in four interceptions in his last five games going back to last season. With an interception against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Diggs will become the 16th player in NFL history to record one in each of the first four games of a season.
That’s quite an exclusive list when considering how long the NFL has been in existence. Since 2000, only Brian Russell of the Minnesota Vikings (2003) and Devin McCourty of the New England Patriots (2019) have accomplished this milestone which further proves how rare it is.
The former second-round pick has done his damage against some excellent competition. Diggs lined up opposite Mike Evans of the Tampa Buccaneers in the Cowboys’ season opener. He only allowed one reception for 10 yards on three targets, and nearly had a game-sealing interception off of Tom Brady in the final moments.
In the last two games, both Cowboys wins, Diggs has continued putting the clamps on wide receivers. Keenan Allen of the Los Angeles Chargers, one of the NFL’s best route runners, only hauled in three of his six targets when being guarded by Diggs. DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles took his trip to Alcatraz this past Monday. Diggs held the rookie to two receptions for nine yards when he was the primary defender.
It’s still early in the season but the evolution of Diggs has been a thing of beauty. His 87.1 coverage grade is tied for first for all cornerbacks according to Pro Football Focus. No matter who the quarterback has been, they have had a miserable time completing passes against Diggs as he’s only allowing a passer rating of 40.8 for the season.
The play of Diggs through September was so spectacular that he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month. He’s the first defensive back in team history to receive the honor. Sean Lee (2011, 2013) and DeMarcus Lawrence (2017) are the only other defensive players for the Cowboys that have accomplished this.
Whether Diggs makes history on Sunday or not he’s firmly established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league right now, and the scary thing is, he’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
