Former Pittsburgh Steelers star linebacker Levon Kirkland has watched Nate Wiggins blossom into a top collegiate cornerback at his alma mater, Clemson. Now, he wants to see him become a top player in the NFL and hopes it would be with the team where he made a pair of Pro Bowls and had an All-Pro selection in the 1990s. Wiggins is expected to be a late first-round pick or an early second-round pick at the NFL Draft in Detroit at the end of April. Pittsburgh needs cornerback help and had Wiggins in for a visit with the team on April 4.
Kirkland works for the Tigers as the NIL coordinator for the football team. He joined Chris Mueller and Andrew Fillipponi on The PM Team with Poni & Mueller on 93.7 The Fan on Thursday afternoon to give an insider opinion on Wiggins. Kirkland said the Atlanta native is one of the best corners in this class and has tremendous coverage ability.
"I felt he was really polished this year," Kirkland said. "He's all about football. He's a dawg. He is about playing the game, playing aggressively, and being the best. I hope he does go to Pittsburgh. That would really make them solid as far as corners are concerned."
Kirkland said the best of Wiggins' abilities were showcased when the team played against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2023 season. Running back Omarion Hampton looked like he had a clear path to the end zone on a run in the first half. Wiggins was able to chase him down and force a fumble to prevent the score. Kirkland called it one of the best plays he has ever seen in college football.
Draft evaluators have knocked Wiggins for his lack of physicality in the run game and on combat catches. Kirkland said he's a willing tackler even if he isn't the most physical.
"I've seen him stick his nose in there as far as the run is concerned," he said. "He's not Rod Woodson or anything like that. He's a guy that will go up there and make a tackle. More than anything he's going to shut you down as far as passing the ball. When you think about cornerbacks, would you rather have a guy who's a great solid tackler or a guy that's going to cover?"
Pittsburgh hopes they've found a foundational coverage cornerback in 2023 second-round pick Joey Porter Jr., who impressed many with his skills in his rookie season. Porter allowed a completion percentage of 47.6% on 63 targets with only one touchdown scored against him.
Finding a potential shutdown corner like Wiggins to pair with Porter would make the Steelers' defense, which is already tough to play against, an even harder task. Behind Porter going into the draft, Pittsburgh has a lot of question marks on the depth chart at the position.
Steelers' Kirkland Thinks Wiggins Has What It Takes To Cover Top Wideouts, But Give It Time
Kirkland was extremely impressed with Wiggins' ability to shut down opposing wide receivers at the college level. He thinks that should translate to the NFL, but it might not be immediate.
Kirkland said in Wiggins' first, and maybe even second year, he would be hesitant to put him on an island alone against some of the game's top wideouts, but he feels he'll have that ability eventually.
"He's a guy that will be able to shut down wide receivers," he said. "He did it here at Clemson and he went against some pretty good wide receivers."
He added it's tough for any corner to shut down wide receivers in today's game, with the rules skewing toward offense. He believes Wiggins will have that ability, and he hopes he's doing it for the Steelers and not against them.
Do you agree with Kirkland's breakdown? Would you draft Wiggins in the first round?
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