Nate Wiggins will be a hot commodity at the 2024 NFL Draft.
The former Clemson star cornerback, who finished his collegiate career with 24 pass breakups, three interceptions and two forced fumbles in three seasons, will be looking to join an already expansive list of former Dabo Swinney players in the NFL when the draft begins Thursday night in Detroit.
Six Clemson players are expected to be drafted over the course of the three-day event: Wiggins, defensive tackles Ruke Orhorhoro and Tyler Davis, defensive end Xavier Thomas, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and running back Will Shipley.
Of those players, Wiggins will be chosen first. So where — and how high — could Wiggins go?
Pro Football Focus sees Wiggins going to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round at No. 17 overall, continuing the Clemson-to-Jacksonville shuttle that already features former Tigers stars Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne.
According to PFF’s Trevor Sikkema:
“Wiggins’ 6-foot-2 frame and length allow him to disrupt receivers in the contact window and at the catch point. He also has above-average athleticism for the position. His footwork is quick and controlled, his hips flip fluidly and fast and he has impressive recovery speed. Although Wiggins didn’t have many interceptions, his forced incompletion percentage and awareness prove that he is impactful. The best part about him is he remains confident in both man and zone responsibilities. He has a slender build, and that shows up when tasked with tackling, getting off blocks and handling stronger receivers in their routes.”
The Indianapolis Colts (at No. 15), Philadelphia Eagles (at No. 22), Arizona Cardinals (at No. 27) and Baltimore Ravens (at No. 30) are other possibilities for Wiggins.
For the Eagles’ sake, our colleagues at The Eagles Wire cited ESPN’s Draft Day Predictor model, which ranks Wiggins as Philadelphia’s most likely selection in the first round.
“Philadelphia needs a cornerback, and if they stand pat at No. 22, ESPN predicts they’ll go cornerback for the first time since taking Lito Sheppard in the 2002 draft. Wiggins was the fastest defender at the combine, but his slight frame could give the Eagles pause.”
Whoever Wiggins ends up with, an NFL franchise could be getting a lockdown cornerback for the foreseeable future.
In his final Big Board Rankings of the best prospects in this year’s class (subscription required), longtime ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Wiggins as the 25th-best overall player in the draft. In those rankings, Wiggins is one spot behind Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in Kiper’s final draft analysis.
Kiper notes:
“Wiggins stood out all over the Tigers’ defensive tape. He was impressive despite missing two games with a knee injury. He allowed 18 catches for 179 yards as the nearest defender in coverage, and two of those were turned into touchdowns.
He has the length and recovery speed to match up effectively with any wideout he goes up against. Wiggins shows a smooth turning motion, good instincts in coverage and can make up ground in a hurry while using his height and arm length as a major advantage.”
The NFL draft ceremonies will begin at 8 p.m. EDT from Detroit. The draft will be televised by ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.