CLEMSON, S.C. — Nate Wiggins has become the latest Clemson product to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft.
The First Team All-ACC selection from 2023 was taken with the 30th overall selection by the Baltimore Ravens Thursday night in Detroit.
During his three-year career in the Upstate, the Atlanta native recorded 50 tackles (3.0 for loss), 24 pass breakups, three interceptions (two of which he returned for touchdowns), two forced fumbles, a sack and a blocked field goal in 1,377 career snaps over 34 games (18 starts).
Wiggins scored touchdowns of 98 yards (an ACC Championship Game record) and 46 yards on pick-sixes in 2022 and 2023, In doing so, he became the first Clemson player since Rex Varn in 1977-78 to score on an interception return in back-to-back seasons.
“Nate is as talented as we’ve ever had come through here at his position from a skill set standpoint,” said Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney.
“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.”
Wiggins becomes the 18th first-round pick of Swinney’s head coaching tenure. Swinney’s 18 career first-round picks are the most among all active head coaches. Clemson has now produced at least one first-round pick in 10 of the last 12 drafts, standing alongside Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Ohio State as the only programs in the nation to reach that level.
Clemson has now had at least one player selected in the NFL Draft in 22 consecutive years, adding to Clemson’s second-longest such streak. Clemson previously had at least one player selected in the NFL Draft every year across the 1951-74 NFL Drafts, a span of 24 years.
This marks the second consecutive year Baltimore has taken someone from the Clemson program. A year ago, the Ravens drafted former Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson in the third round.
