Higgins going pro

Well, the wait is finally over.

Colorado State star wideout Rashard Higgins announced on social media Wednesday night that he will forgo his senior season at CSU and enter the NFL Draft. It was a decision that was widely expected, but Higgins took his time in doing his due diligence to ensure he was making the right decision.

Higgins posted the following tweet late Wednesday:

A fan favorite due to his likability, charisma and 'Hollywood' nickname - a moniker he fully lived up to on and off the field - Higgins is leaving his mark as the most productive receiver in CSU history.

In just three seasons, Higgins set school career receiving records for receptions (239), receiving yards (3,649) and touchdowns (31). His sophomore year was easily his most spectacular, having earned first team All-America honors from numerous publications after totaling 96 catches for 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns. He finished the year as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded annually to the nation's top wideout.

CSU responded to the news with a brief release from Ram head coach Mike Bobo over Twitter.

Higgins' numbers dipped as a junior, as he dealt with numerous lower body injuries and having not built much chemistry with new starting quarterback Nick Stevens. Still, Higgins was the conference's top receiver and earned first team All-Mountain West honors after catching 75 passes for 1,062 yards and eight scores.

A two-star recruit from Mesquite, Texas, Higgins was viewed as almost an afterthought in Colorado State's much ballyhooed 2013 wide receiver recruiting class. Three-star Elroy Masters, former Washington pledge Sammie Long and San Diego-area star, 6-foot-4 athlete Xavier Williams were all thought by many to have brighter futures at CSU.

But Higgins proved as soon as he stepped foot on campus that he was already the Rams' top wide receiver. His natural receiving skills, understanding of the game, and, more importantly, his belief in himself, immediately set him apart from CSU's other receivers.

News of Higgins' dominance on the practice fields in fall camp of 2013 reached my ears time and time again. He struggled catching the ball consistently over the course of his true freshman year, but still led the Rams with 68 catches for 837 yards and six touchdowns.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Higgins will go down as one of CSU's top offensive performers in school history, so his loss cannot be underscored. He was the go-to playmaker time and again for CSU. Kapri Bibbs saved the Ram offense countless times in 2013, while Higgins was that guy in 2014.

CSU returns a healthy stable of pass catchers in 2016, led by Williams, Masters, Long, Jordon Vaden, Bisi Johnson, and Deionte Gaines. But without the presence of Higgins, these receivers won't have Higgins to lean on to bail the offense out. This offseason will be crucial in determining who will step up to take over - not replace - Hollywood.

It was a fun three years having had the pleasure of watching such an electric playmaker in the Green and Gold. But the show in Fort Collins is over, as the last bag of Hollywood Higgins' popcorn has finally been popped.

Ryan Krous is the publisher of GoldandGreenNews.com. You can email him at ryan.krous@gmail.com or follow him on twitter @RyanKrous for all the latest and breaking Colorado State news.