Lions' hard-hitting Quandre Diggs gearing up for fatherhood

Allen Park — Quandre Diggs hasn't had a problem overcoming the steep uphill climb of being a sixth-round pick, and has never shied away from a full-speed collision with a tight end across the middle, despite physics favoring the player who is 50-60 pounds heavier. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that Diggs is embracing his upcoming challenge, the one that trumps all others, fatherhood.

Diggs and girlfriend Abby Evans are expecting the couple's first child this summer, a baby girl they plan to name Ariya. 

"I think, as you guys can see on Twitter, and see around the building, I’m just at peace with life, man," Diggs said. "I just enjoy it every day. I’m blessed. I’ve been humbled before in my life and I don’t want to take (for granted) those things any more. I think I’m at a point, I’m 26 years old, I know who I am, I know what I’m capable of, I’m just here to be the guy the man above wanted me to be. That’s where I’m at."

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There's another thing Diggs is at peace with — the color of the walls at his home. While he's preparing to make the necessary sacrifices it takes to be a dad, including consulting with teammates on how to balance the challenges of playing in the NFL and being a good father, there won't be a pink nursery at the Diggs' home. 

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"Nah, we don’t touch the walls at my house," Diggs said to laughter. "We kind of let it be. If the wall color is gray, then it stays gray. The nursery looks good. ...That’s the color that I wanted it painted before we had the baby, so that’s the color I want it painted all the time. So that’s what it’s going to be."

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Of course, he knows there's a good chance his daughter will inherit his stubborn determination. 

"I say that now, but when she gets older, she might have different plans," Diggs said. "We’ll see."

Diggs is entering his fifth season with the Lions, the first of the three-year extension he signed with the club last season after making a full-time move from nickel corner to safety. 

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @Justin_Rogers