Nate Wiggins suffers hip flexor injury while running 4.28 40-yard dash

Former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins suffered a groin injury on Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine after completing his first 40-yard dash. According to NFL Network’s Stacey Dales, Wiggins heard a pop in his groin and told Dales the area was “on fire.” Upon further evaluation, the injury is thought to be to the hip flexor area, per Ian Rapoport.

If it’s a serious injury, it’s terrible timing. He posted a blazing-fast 4.29 40-yard dash, confirmed at 4.28 after times were made official, but will be unable to complete the Combine workout. Wiggins is a candidate to be one of the top cornerbacks off the board in April’s Draft.

“He believes it’s more of a strain after he talked to the medical staff, and told me he’ll be ready for Clemson’s Pro Day, which I believe is on April the 6th,” Dales shared in a follow-up report. “That’s a great, positive report coming off what we thought was a lot more concerning with a groin injury.”

After the injury, Wiggins also shared that he was hoping to clock a time closer to a 4.2-flat rather than the 4.28. It sounds like he could heal up in time to try again at Pro Day.

The 6-foot-2 corner finished Clemson’s 2023 regular season recording 29 total tackles, 23 solo, six passes defended, and forced two fumbles. He also had two interceptions, with one of them returned for a touchdown.

Dukes: Wiggins will ‘surprise’

On3’s Andy Staples and Phillip Dukes discussed some of the top players in this year’s group of prospects this week. Dukes revealed his surprise player, who he believes will be a sleeper in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“I think that Nate Wiggins, the cornerback at Clemson, he’s really gonna surprise some people,” said Dukes. “I think he is starting to move up the board a little bit, to where he’s in that top 20 range. But I’m hearing he could run 4.2. And if he runs a 4.2, he’s going to light to Combine up at his height.”

“He has the in-game production that you would want,” he added. “He’s got the length, got great hips, [and] he wins a lot more at the point of attack when you talk about high pointing the ball as a defender. But I think the speed factor is something that people aren’t factoring in. I know he’s gonna run 4.3, but I think he’s a guy that could push 4.2.”