Nate Wiggins was expected to be among the fastest players at the 2024 NFL Combine. He delivered on that promise but got hurt in the process.
The Clemson cornerback blazed to the fastest 40-yard dash of the combine so far on Friday but had to leave the field after suffering an injury. That brought his day to an end.
Wiggins' injury isn't believed to be major, but it will bear watching moving forward. He is in the running to be the first cornerback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft and will want to get back on the field for Clemson's pro day on April 6 to stake his claim as a top-20 pick.
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Here's what to know about Wiggins' electric 40-yard dash and the injury that forced him to miss the rest of the combine.
Nate Wiggins 40 time
Wiggins ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.28 seconds at the 2024 NFL Combine on Friday. That mark was the fastest of both the day and the entire combine to that point.
Oh my, Nate Wiggins. 4.29u. Wow.
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Despite his strong performance, Wiggins wasn't pleased with his final number. Why? Because he believed that he could have clocked a better mark in the lower 4.20s, as NFL Network's Stacey Dales explained on the NFL Combine broadcast.
Alas, Wiggins will have to settle for a mark that ranks in the 98th percentile among all NFL players, as he wasn't able to take a second shot at the 40-yard dash.
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Nate Wiggins injury update
Wiggins sustained an injury while running the 40-yard dash, as he left the field after his run assistance from the training staff on hand at the NFL Combine.
At first, Wiggins believed he had suffered a groin injury while running his 40, Dales reported.
"I felt it pop," Wiggins told Dales of his groin. "It's on fire right now."
But Wiggins eventually reemerged from the locker room and revealed he was actually dealing with a hip flexor injury.
"He believes it's more of a strain after he talked to the medical staff and told me he believes he'll be ready for Clemson's pro day," Dales said.
While Wiggins may not be happy that he got to run just once, blazing a 4.28 40-yard dash should help him as he battles to become the first cornerback off the board in 2024.