Prospect Profile: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Context

Plays both the post safety spot and split safety coverage.

Coverage

When he presses with a jam at the line of scrimmage, he can get his hands on the Wide Receiver and disrupt the route. Against those with average play strength, he can keep the receiver pinned at the line of scrimmage or to the sideline. Against bigger and stronger receivers, he can compete because of the timing with his hands – he’s patient and latches on at the right time. There are times when his hands aren’t as accurate as they could be against this type of competition, usually due to the size of the receiver. When he’s in soft press, he does have solid footwork and can match angles with solid competition but those receivers with an excellent release plan and a variety of moves off the line, can win when he doesn’t jam. Against off or bail coverage, when the receiver eats up the cushion quickly, he can remain a little flat-footed to react to moves from the receiver. He has good processing, and it means he’s able to stay in phase on most short and intermediate routes against the competition he saw in college. He can read the receiver’s hips and reads route progressions well. When he’s in off coverage, he reacts well and can transition to forward movement with explosion to break on the ball, but this must be from a standing start, as he has some wasted motion when he transitions to forward movement from his backpedal.

Against the better route salesmen he saw, he could struggle as he does rely on his processing ability to stay in phase consistently. He has the athletic ability to recover, and that allowed him to compete against average competition, but he can give up separation at the break point on short and intermediate routes when the receiver has used their stem to manipulate him. On go routes against all types of receiver he is able to stay in phase though he does have a deficiency with his hip fluidity, this doesn’t hurt him so much on go routes as it’s a straight turn and run.

The jerky hip movement does hurt him on post and corner routes, particularly against those receivers with great technique, processing or speed as they are able to manipulate him in the early portion of the route and create separation downfield, he can sometimes turn the entirely wrong way after getting put in a blender by those better receivers. He has excellent ball skills on short and intermediate routes, even bigger receivers struggle to keep him from getting his hands on the football, which he does with good timing and accuracy. On downfield throws he must turn and locate the football with more consistency when he’s in phase. I’ve explained that he is able to stay close on go routes but he then struggles to break up the pass as he doesn’t find the ball well.

Run Support

He doesn’t insert himself in the run game as a defender, and will rarely play as a dominant force player on the edge. He doesn’t often disengage from blocks and when he is called upon to tackle bigger ball carriers he will dive low and not look to wrap at all. Against receivers, he is a better open field tackler, and has both willing and desire to get his man to the ground. You can see him fly to the line of scrimmage and lay big hits on receivers.

SUMMARY
Good processor and athletic ability to play the position, allows him to stay in phase on short/intermediate routes against most competition. Big deficiency vs corner and post routes, must fix.

PRODUCTION 
JR: 26 To. Tackles, 2 FF, 2 INTs, 4 PBUs, 1 Sack, 1 QB hit
SO: 29 To. Tackles, 1 INT, 10 PBUs
Injury: Left knee bone bruise (JR)

RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 4
Intelligence 4
Versatility 2
Grit 2
Scheme 4