Nate Wiggins: 2024 NFL draft profile, when he could get selected and by whom

Nate Wiggins was a playmaker on a standout Clemson defense in the 2023 season.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Thu Jan 18 07:00:05 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON - The Tigers have a reputation for producing stellar defensive talent -- players who excel in the NFL. Cornerback Nate Wiggins promises to be yet another addition to that legacy, as he is commonly projected to be a first-round draft pick in April.

While Wiggins may have had a strong 2022 season, 2023 was even better. For the second consecutive season, he was named first-team All-ACC. He totaled two interceptions, returning his pick against Florida Atlantic 46 yards for a touchdown. In addition, Wiggins had two forced fumbles, a sack and defended six passes. He was a presence all over the field this past season and has even been referred to as the best cornerback in this draft by ESPN’s Field Yates.

According to NFL Draft Buzz, he ranks in the No. 29 percentile in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.55 seconds. However, he plays much faster than that on the field. Further, Clemson’s Pro Day offers him a chance to put up a better time, as will the NFL Combine in March. Weight-wise, NFL Draft Buzz has Wiggins on the lighter side at 185, but that will also be measured at Pro Day.

In coverage, he is undoubtedly one of the best corners on the board. He can play well in both man and zone, being ranked in at least the No. 80 percentile in both areas. His weaknesses are primarily in tackling and defending against the run. But, those are both areas that are coachable and thus not substantial issues.

Given all of the upside, he is generally ranked as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 15 overall player available in this draft class, although some consider him the best corner available. Still, there is a general consensus in mock drafts that he will be taken in the first half of the first round. In fact, NFL Mock Draft Database stated that he has a 65.3 percent chance of getting drafted in the first round.

Between NFL Mock Draft Database and other mock drafts, there is some agreement that a highly likely landing place for Wiggins is with the Las Vegas Raiders, who hold the No. 13 pick overall. They struggled a bit in the secondary to cover some of the better receivers in the league; practicing against Davante Adams would certainly give Wiggins a chance to develop his skills further.

It may not be fair, but the one reason the Raiders may steer away from Wiggins is because of their previous experience after a Clemson cornerback. Back in 2019, Las Vegas spent the No. 40 overall on Trayvon Mullen, and that did not work out for them. Wiggins is quite a different player from Mullen, but sometimes this kind of experience drafting for a particular position from a certain college can deter teams.

Another possibility floated out there by some mock drafts is to have Wiggins get drafted a little earlier at No. 11 over by the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings, as some may recall, drafted Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth with the No. 42 overall pick in 2022. Booth has not developed how Minnesota would have hoped, but Wiggins is a player that either the Raiders or Vikings should be able to plug in right away and start.

Overall, Wiggins appears to be the best cornerback coming out of Clemson since back with AJ Terrell was drafted No. 16 overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Wiggins, however, certainly has the potential to get drafted before that. If Wiggins were to be drafted No. 13 overall by the Raiders, he would be the highest-drafted cornerback from Clemson since Donnell Woolford was drafted No. 11 overall by the Chicago Bears back in 1989.