Steelers Should Avoid Being Swayed By Undersized Nate Wiggins: 'They Want Corners Who Can Tackle'

The Pittsburgh Steelers enjoyed eight stellar years with Super Bowl-winning linebacker Joey Porter solidifying the edge on defense, so when a chance came to draft his son in 2023, it felt like fate. Joey Porter Jr. earned his way onto the field and never looked back, earning a Defensive Rookie of the Year nomination. After reaping the benefits of a shutdown corner, the Steelers are eager to find another to pair with Porter Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft. While Nate Wiggins may seem to fit that need, that isn't how everyone sees it.

Wiggins, a former Clemson cornerback, is widely seen as a first-round prospect in the 2024 draft class. However, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was on The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller Thursday on 93.7 The Fan regarding the upcoming NFL draft and which direction the Steelers may go in. When it came to cornerback, Levon Kirkland, who is on staff at Clemson, had been on the program earlier in the day and mentioned Wiggins in connection to the Steelers. Fittipaldo, however, doesn't see that working as well as some may think.

"Yeah, I -- you know, he's 6'1", so he's that long corner that they've been targeting the last couple of years, but he doesn't really fit their mold in another way, and that's the fact that he weighed in at the Combine at 173 pounds, and he's been highly criticized for what he put on tape as a tackler in terms of his run support. So, you know, I just -- I know how the Steelers wanna play football on defense. They want corners who can tackle, um, you know, Joey Porter [Jr.], I thought, improved upon that as the season went on. That's gotta be part of the job description, so whether they think he can add weight and eventually be that guy, I don't know."

Porter Jr., while excelling at shutting down opponents' top receivers, ran into growing pains when it came to tackling. That issue was addressed during the campaign, and there was a steady improvement in the way Porter Jr. tackled, allowing him to have a more well-rounded game. The question is whether the Steelers want another tackling project to help along, and that will end up coming down to the way Pittsburgh believes Wiggins can contribute against the pass.

In Wiggins' three seasons with Clemson, he tallied only 60 tackles. That statistic wouldn't be as troubling if there weren't concerns regarding Wiggins' ability to wrap up. However, if there are obvious issues in such a small sample size, it could spell a sharp learning curve once Wiggins starts his professional career. Pittsburgh's staff is up to the task of coaching a rookie up, as they showed with Porter Jr., but if Wiggins is more a pure cover cornerback then he may not fit the mold that the Steelers are looking for.

Steelers' Trade Acquisition Gives Them Wiggle Room

By adding Donte Jackson as a result of the Diontae Johnson trade, the Steelers could have a workable duo in case they had to bring a rookie cornerback like Wiggins along slowly. Porter Jr. had to work his way into his starting role game by game, and Jackson allows for another season where a young defensive back has the time to adjust to the NFL. 

Fittipaldo may not see Wiggins as the right fit, but if the Steelers do, they seem to have a plan moving forward. With another full offseason to continue growing, Porter Jr. could be ready for another big step forward, and Jackson's pairing with the young cornerback could be exactly what he needs.

Even if the Steelers determine that Wiggins isn't the cornerback they are going to target, they have options. Alabama alone offers two legitimate choices, with either Terrion Arnold or Ga'Quincy "Kool-Aid" McKinstry looking like solid prospects. 

Omar Khan has a plan to continue upgrading Pittsburgh's roster, and whichever prospect ends up wearing black and gold will be because the front office determined that was the best possible fit for the situation. With 2024 already looking brighter than the frustrating struggle of 2023, the 2024 NFL Draft will be an opportunity for the Steelers to take another step toward being contenders again.

Which cornerback should the Steelers select in the 2024 NFL Draft?