The Detroit Lions very likely won’t fix their pass defense with just one addition. But CBS Sports’ Kyle Stackpole suggested Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins could be the first piece to improving a secondary that ranked 27th in the NFL in passing yards allowed last season.
Stackpole slotted Wiggins to the Lions at No. 29 overall in his February 16 NFL mock draft.
“If the Lions want to make their first Super Bowl appearance, they’ll need their pass defense to be better,” Stackpole wrote. “Nate Wiggins, with his 6-foot-2 frame and lightning speed, would be a great start toward improving the secondary.
Lions Projected to Target ‘Lightning Speed’ to Begin Fixing Pass Defense
Stackpole joined The Ringer’s Ben Solak and NFLmocks.com’s Cody Spears as mock draft experts who have predicted Wiggins to the Lions at No. 29 overall since the Super Bowl.
Where Nate Wiggins Could Land in the 2024 Draft
There have been top clear-cut choices at cornerback in recent NFL drafts. But this year, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Not that there aren’t great cornerback prospects to be found in the 2024 draft class. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had five cornerbacks ranked among his top 32 players on January 30.
But with no consensus top cornerback or top tier at the position this year, it’s a little unpredictable where each cornerback prospect could land.
influence whether or not the Lions consider Wiggins a target on draft night.
How Wiggins Could Fit With the Lions
While Detroit’s interest in Wiggins has yet to be determined, the Lions are a fit for any cornerback in the first round of the NFL draft.
In addition to 27th in pass defense, the Lions finished the 2023 season 29th in net yards allowed per pass attempt. They also allowed 28 passing touchdowns. Only five teams allowed more.
Landing Wiggins would also give the Lions something they didn’t have a lot of in their secondary last season — speed.
