This NFL team could potentially be a landing spot for Clemson’s top-rated draft prospect.
Gerry Dulac, an esteemed writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, recently published a piece on five positions that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be keeping a close eye on at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
One of those positions is cornerback, with Dulac citing the Steelers’ need for a top-tier cornerback talent to go with Joey Poter Jr., who earned a spot on the PFWA’s All-Rookie Team after being selected by Pittsburgh in the second round of last year’s draft.
Dulac noted that the Steelers could possibly fill that need in this year’s draft by spending their first-round pick on a corner, and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins is one that could end up going to Pittsburgh with the 20th overall pick:
The Steelers refused offers from a number of teams to trade the 32nd pick in the draft last year to take Joey Porter Jr., and the decision proved fortuitous.
Now, they wouldn’t discount the possibility of making another move to get a top-flight prospect to pair with him.
The Steelers are eager to get back last year’s seventh-round pick, Cory Trice Jr., who has the size (6-3, 206) and speed (4.4 40-yard dash) teams look for in cornerbacks. But Trice tore his anterior cruciate ligament early in training camp and never appeared in a game. The Steelers think he can be a good player, based on the limited time they saw him in OTAs and training camp. The problem is, they don’t know if he can be a good player.
Jeremiah said Clemson’s Nate Wiggins (6-2, 185) and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean, who will not test at the combine because of a foot injury, could be in the Steelers’ range at No. 20. But he also said Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell would be good fit for them.
“That would be a heck of a young secondary with Minkah at the top of the Christmas tree there,” Jeremiah said. “That would be a fun defense to watch.”
The aforementioned Daniel Jeremiah, a prominent draft analyst for the NFL Network, released his updated ranking of the top 50 draft-eligible prospects entering the combine and ranked Wiggins as the No. 25 overall prospect.
Wiggins earned first-team All-ACC honors as a junior in 2023, when the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder tallied 25 tackles (one for loss), a team-high nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one sack and two interceptions (one of which he returned 46 yards for his second career touchdown) over 10 games (seven starts).
In his career at Clemson from 2021-23, Wiggins recorded 50 tackles (3.0 for loss), 24 pass breakups, three interceptions (including two returned for touchdowns), two forced fumbles, a sack and a blocked field goal over 34 games (18 starts).
This year’s draft is set to be held in Detroit from April 25–27.
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