Clemson star Nate Wiggins selected in first round of 2024 NFL Draft

Nate Wiggins is off the board.

The former Clemson cornerback was selected No. 30 overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft late Thursday night in Detroit.

A first-team All-ACC selection as a junior, Wiggins dazzled pro scouts with an impressive combination of size and speed at Clemson and became the first Tiger in 46 years to record an interception return touchdown in back-to-back seasons.

He’ll enter an excellent situation in the Charm City. Last year, the Ravens went 13-4 and were the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC behind a second MVP season from star quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Baltimore, which had the league’s No. 1 scoring defense and No. 4 scoring defense, beat Houston at home in the divisional round before losing at home to eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City in the AFC championship game.

The Ravens currently have the third best odds to win the Super Bowl next season behind the San Francisco 49ers and Chiefs, per ESPN BET, and have now added a talented corner to aid them in that title pursuit.

Wiggins (6-foot-1, 173 pounds) led Clemson in pass breakups each of the past two seasons and developed a reputation as a talented cover corner, playmaker and speedster who hit 22 mph twice during the 2023 season while chasing down opposing ball carriers more than 60 yards downfield to force fumbles.

Wiggins also ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, the fastest time among cornerbacks and second to only Texas receiver Xavier Worthy (4.21).

Wiggins flipped his commitment from LSU to Clemson late in the 2021 recruiting cycle as a four-star recruit out of Westlake High School in Atlanta. He leaves three years later as the Tigers’ first defensive back draft selection since Andrew Booth Jr. in 2022, their first first round defensive back since AJ Terrell in 2020 and the 18th overall first-round pick of the Dabo Swinney era (since the 2009 draft).

“Nate is as talented as we’ve ever had come through here at his position from a skill set standpoint,” Swinney said in a statement after Wiggins’ selection. “Really, really fast. He’s really honed his craft from when I first met him. He’s a really competitive kid, and how he channeled his competitiveness, he’s really developed.”

Clemson cornerbacks coach Mike Reed added in a statement that “when you think of Nate, you think of speed and explosiveness. (He’s) a true athlete. The fastest young man that I have coached. His skill set will transition to the NFL very quickly and he will be a major contributor on the field as well as in the community.”

Nate Wiggins’ NFL draft journey

A 20-year-old true junior, Wiggins has spoken openly about his growth at Clemson and said he had an “immature” freshman year in 2021. He also missed two starts last season because, according to Swinney, he was negative in the team’s in-house “accountability points” metric after missing tutoring sessions.

After starring late in the 2022 season (especially the ACC championship game), Wiggins was widely viewed as a first-round selection throughout his junior season and opted out of Clemson’s bowl game to get a head start on draft preparation.

“Wiggins’ combination of coverage talent and traits could make him a defensive coordinator’s dream,” NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in a pre-draft evaluation. “He’s tall, long and fast with rare recovery speed when beaten.”

Zierlein added that Wiggins “needs to become a tougher player in run support and when contesting catches against NFL size” but his combination of “speed, scheme versatility and playmaking instincts should make him the most sought after cornerback in the draft.”

Wiggins’ selection gives Clemson at least one first-round draft choice in 10 of the past 12 years. Five other Tigers are expected to be selected later in this year’s draft: DT Ruke Orhorhoro (the top prospect behind Wiggins), LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., RB Will Shipley, DE Xavier Thomas and DT Tyler Davis.

Heading into last year, the Ravens were one of only two active NFL franchises who’d never drafted a Clemson player but have now done so in back-to-back years with linebacker Trenton Simpson in the third round in 2023 and Wiggins in the first round late Thursday night.

“What I love most about Nate is that this guy is as tough as they come,” Swinney said. “He’s a guy that is unbelievably competitive when he steps on the field and he plays with a high motor. You saw that firsthand with plays he made against Miami and North Carolina where both plays were basically over, but because of his extra effort, he ended up causing fumbles.”

“That’s what you’ve got to love about a guy like him. He’s got length, he’s got speed, he’s got the technique, he’s got good ball skills, but to me, it’s his love of football.”

How to watch the 2024 NFL Draft

• Round 1: 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25 (ESPN, ABC and NFL Network)

• Rounds 2-3: 7 p.m. Friday, April 26 (ESPN, ABC and NFL Network)

• Rounds 4-7: noon Saturday, April 27 (ESPN, ABC and NFL Network)