Nate Wiggins Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Katie Bradham)

School: Clemson

Class: Junior

Position: CB

HT: 6’2

WT: 185 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #13

Background: Nate Wiggins is a lanky cornerback that has put up some serious ball production throughout his career. He was a consensus 4-star and top 10 cornerback in his class. Wiggins is from Atlanta, Georgia, where he attended Westlake High School. Wiggins was a PrepStar 150 Dream Team selection. For Westlake, Wiggins played both running back and cornerback. Nate was a productive ballhawk who consistently had interceptions returned for touchdowns. He was selected to participate in the All-American Bowl. Wiggins recruitment was very much up in the air. He chose Clemson over USC, LSU, and others.

College: As a freshman at Clemson, Wiggins was an ACC Honor Roll selection. In 2022 he was the starting boundary cornerback. Nate Wiggins was a First Team All-ACC selection in his first year as a starter. He is versatile and athletic, totaling 12 pass breakups, an interception, and even a blocked field goal. Wiggins was a First Team All-ACC selection again in 2023 after an even better season.

Strengths: Nate Wiggins is a high effort, high motor cornerback who plays until the whistle on every snap with no exceptions. He is faster than what his clocked 40 time shows, as he has the speed to recover if he allows separation. Wiggins is a high IQ and instinctive football player who makes the right plays at the right time. He is able to close in on the intended target rather easily and either get a pass breakup or force an incompletion with a big hit at the catch point. He is an excellent tackler, using his long arms to completely wrap up the ball carrier and bring him to the ground without much trouble. Wiggins is a fluid mover with excellent hip flexibility. He is able to turn any direction out of his backpedal into a sprint without giving up a single stride. Wiggins is a versatile cornerback as he is just as effective in the slot as he is on the boundary and he is just as effective in man coverage as he is in zone.

Weaknesses: Wiggins’ main concern is his run defense. As a cornerback, there could be worse main weaknesses, but it is still a cause for concern. He takes poor routes to the ball. When the ball is swung to the outside he too often takes a j route to the ball carrier and gets left behind. He also cannot stop on a dime and come back towards the line of scrimmage as well as you may want. He gives too many extra steps at the break and loses a beat on the play.

Conclusion: Nate Wiggins is a top cornerback in the draft who can play in any scheme and anywhere on the field. His flaws are somewhat nitpicky and he is a high ceiling, high floor player.

Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile

Ideal Role: Boundary CB

Best Team Fits: PHI, LAC, MIN

Player Comparison: Jalen Ramsey

Player Grade: 89.9