The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to have a hit home run with the selection of Joey Porter Jr. in the 2023 NFL Draft, but with Patrick Peterson not getting any younger and the rest of the cornerbacks unproven or just not good enough, the position remains a need for the Steelers. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema has the Steelers addressing the position in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, mocking Clemson CB Nate Wiggins as the selection.
“The Steelers’ cornerback room outside of Joey Porter Jr. is aging fast. They need to continue to invest in that area. Wiggins’ athleticism and build (6-foot-2) make him perhaps the stickiest cover cornerback in this class. He is on the slender side at 185 pounds, which does show up in strength situations, especially run defense. But it doesn’t cause him to back down from physicality at the catch point. That, plus his fantastic recovery speed and ball skills, make for a first-round player,” Sikkema writes.
Wiggins has been considered a first-round prospect since the end of the 2022 season, and he did nothing to quell that opinion with his play this season. Wiggins had 29 total tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a defensive touchdown for the Tigers this season, and he has three interceptions total over the last two years. He’s great in coverage and could end up as a nice complement to Porter, especially given the fact that both of them have good length.
It would add to Pittsburgh’s identity of drafting longer corners, as the team selected both Porter and Cory Trice Jr. last year. Trice was drawing rave reviews throughout minicamp and training camp before tearing his ACL during camp, but he’s a name to watch going forward in Pittsburgh’s cornerback room.
It’s also worth noting that the Steelers have scouted Clemson heavily this season. It’s not a surprise, given the Tigers have a lot of NFL-caliber talent, including LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., another name that’s been linked to Pittsburgh as a potential option in the first round. But Pittsburgh’s biggest need that they’ll address early in the draft is probably cornerback, which makes Wiggins a nice potential fit.
Historically, the Steelers have struggled with drafting corners, but Porter looks like a big hit early in his career, and the Steelers could look to find another in Wiggins. It’s a draft heavy on corner talent, with Sikkema mocking six in the first round, and that should benefit the Steelers this year as they look to build a core at the position.
With college football now in Bowl Season, we’re getting closer and closer to draft season, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on what Pittsburgh is doing in the lead-up to the draft.
