Clemson defender moves up Mel Kiper's ESPN NFL draft board

Nate Wiggins is up to the Top 20 overall and the No. 2 corner for ESPN's Kiper.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Friday, December 15 2023

One of Clemson's NFL draft declarations made a move in longtime ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest rankings.

Nate Wiggins is up to No. 18 overall and the No. 2 cornerback in Kiper's rankings now.

"Clemson has had a disappointing season, but Wiggins stands out all over the Tigers' defensive tape," Kiper said. "He has been impressive despite missing two games with a knee injury. He allowed 18 catches for 179 yards as the nearest defender in coverage, and two of those were turned into touchdowns.

"He has the length and recovery speed to match up effectively with any wideout he goes up against. Wiggins shows a smooth turning motion, good instincts in coverage and can make up ground in a hurry while using his height and arm length as a major advantage."

Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is the No. 2-rated off-ball linebacker, but he is not in the Top 25 prospects. Before announcing a return to Clemson as a senior, Barrett Carter had been No. 6 in the outside linebacker rankings in previous weeks.

The NFL draft will be in Detroit from April 25-27.