Draft season is back! The 2024 NFL draft is in Detroit in April, and we’re getting very close to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
It’s time to fire up the “Lions Draft Prospect of the Day” series.
The focus is on players who should hold some appeal to the Lions in the draft, with a focus on the more likely positions the team will be targeting. If you’re looking for quarterbacks or upper-echelon running backs, you’re probably not going to find those here. Outside cornerbacks, defensive linemen, interior offensive linemen, maybe some wide receivers and offensive tackles figure to appear along the path to April’s draft. Not all of the players will be top-100 prospects, either.
First up in the series is an early contender to be the Lions’ first pick…
Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Ht: 6-2
Weight: 185 (as listed by Clemson)
Wiggins is an early entrant to the 2024 NFL draft after playing three seasons for the Tigers. After playing just over 100 snaps in his freshman year, Wiggins emerged as a starting outside corner for Clemson over the last two years. He was first-team All-ACC both seasons, picking off three passes and breaking up a total of 20 in his career.
Wiggins, who turns 21 in August, has experience playing both sides of the field. He was at his best in press-man coverage, though he also has experience in zone and off-man. He missed three games in 2023 with a bone bruise in his knee but returned and showed no ill effects.
What I like
- He’s long and he understands how to use his length in coverage
- Very good overall athlete with decent long speed and impressive short-area burst
- Smooth, balanced mover laterally who doesn’t waste steps or energy
- Very good at picking up on WR tendencies and offensive cues; high-functioning football IQ
- Understands leverage/technique and playing to his secondary mates
- High effort player who can make hustle plays (see: Miami game)
- Bounced back well from bad plays, showing confidence and maturity
- Can make plays after going a long period without being tested, which is harder to do than it sounds
What worries me going into the NFL
- He’s not weak, but more physical receivers can get off Wiggins’ press and control their own releases
- Can be late to find the ball in the air, especially on shorter routes
- Poor tackle initiation points; Wiggins will dive at feet at times while firing too high at others
- Needs work on his path to the ball and urgency to initiate contact in run defense; Wiggins often looks like he’d rather finish off a tackle started by someone else than being the primary tackler
- Tendency to get too tall in his transitions, which can make him seem slower than he really is
- Will sit a count too long in zone coverage at times (see: Louisville 2022)
Best game I watched: Notre Dame 2022 (seen in person)
Worst game I watched: South Carolina 2023
Overall
Wiggins offers a lot of appeal for the Lions as a scheme-diverse outside corner. His length, confidence and ability to play both the ball and the receiver with the ball in the air are impressive. The route recognition and proactive positioning in coverage are very nice. I could see the Lions having some issues with Wiggins’ aggressiveness in run defense and his lack of play strength against bigger/stronger receivers.
Wiggins should be in play for the Lions first-round pick at No. 29 overall if he’s still on the board–and he might be gone. If they want Wiggins, they almost certainly won’t be able to wait more than a handful of picks in a trade-back scenario.