ESPN NFL mock draft has Wiggins, Orhorhoro going in early rounds

Ruke Orhorhoro could hear his name called as early as the second round. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. projects a pick from the LA Chargers there.

by TigerNet Staff - Wed Apr 10 09:52:27 GMT-04:00 2024

We are just over two weeks to the NFL draft in Detroit (April 25-27), and a couple of Clemson defenders hope to hear their names called early in the action.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. released an updated two-round projection that has two Tigers getting selected ($).

Kiper pegs Nate Wiggins for a No. 22 selection to the Philadelphia Eagles.

"Philadelphia's defense fell apart at the end of last season, and top corners Darius Slay and James Bradberry are in their 30s. It's time to add an injection of youth in the secondary. Wiggins surrendered just one completion of 20-plus yards in 2023, and he has outstanding speed -- he ran 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine. The blend of cover skills and physical tools should make him an early contributor," Kiper said.

On Day 2, Kiper has Ruke Orhorhoro going No. 52 overall to the LA Chargers in a projected trade.

"Time for another Chargers selection after two projected trades down. I gave them JC Latham and Xavier Worthy in Round 1, which would help with their holes at right tackle and wide receiver. Now I'm looking toward the defensive line, where the Chargers ranked 29th in pass rush win rate (35.1%) last season. The 6-foot-4, 294-pound Orhorhoro has some juice as an interior pass-rusher, and he could kick outside and defend the run as an end," Kiper said.

As referenced, Wiggins' speed is an asset, and he was tagged with the "best recovery speed" among NFL draft prospects by an ESPN analysis of the best players at certain attributes.

"Wiggins ran a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, and we can see the straight-line speed on tape. He is a burner with the recovery quicks to get back in phase with wide receivers in coverage," Matt Bowen said.

Elsewhere, PFF's latest mock draft sends Wiggins to Tampa Bay with the No. 26 pick. NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah has Wiggins as his No. 31 overall prospect.

"Overall, Wiggins is dripping with athleticism and physical traits, but he needs to be more invested in the run game," Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. also landed on ESPN's top attributes list, tagged as the "best second-level blitzer."

"Trotter had 5.5 sacks this past season at Clemson, using his footwork and body control to slip running backs in protection, creating a path to the QB. He consistently has a defined rush plan to win one-on-one," Bowen said.