It appears unlikely that Qwan’tez Stiggers will be back with the Toronto Argonauts as he pursues his goal of playing in the NFL.
The six-foot, 198-pound defensive back recently declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, though he remains under contract with the Argonauts through the upcoming season. Toronto has no obligation to let him out of his deal but the team doesn’t seem intent on holding him back from pursuing opportunities south of the border.
“The procedure won’t be led by us, we will be followers here,” general manager Mike ‘Pinball’ Clemons told the media this past week. “If he does get drafted, there is a good chance that we may give him the ability to be mobile.”
Though not unprecedented, the situation surrounding Stiggers is somewhat unique as he didn’t play college football prior to coming to the CFL.
Due to academic issues, the 22-year-old wasn’t offered a Division I scholarship coming out of B.E.S.T. Academy High School in Atlanta. He instead accepted a scholarship to Lane College, a Division II school in Jackson, Tenn., though the football season was cancelled following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without a place to play and reeling from the untimely death of his father, Stiggers skipped the college ranks to join the Fan Controlled Football League in 2022 where he recorded 30 tackles and five interceptions to be named a finalist for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. The exposure garnered him a contract with the Argonauts last winter, which he signed four days before turning 21.
Though he was originally viewed as a longshot to make Toronto’s roster, Stiggers earned a starting role at boundary cornerback coming out of training camp. He was briefly moved to the practice roster after Jamal Peters returned from the NFL but ended up starting 15 games, recording 53 defensive tackles, three special teams tackles, and five interceptions. He was named an East Division all-star and became the first defensive back to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie since 1998.
Stiggers caught the attention of NFL teams, though the league requires players to be out of high school for at least three years prior to entering the draft, a stipulation Stiggers didn’t meet until after the 2023 season. As he’s not yet gone through the draft, Stiggers is currently ineligible to work out for or sign with NFL teams.
The CFL has an NFL window for players to pursue opportunities down south, which opens immediately after the Grey Cup and closes when free agency gets underway in February. With the NFL draft set for the final week in April, the window is of no use to Stiggers as it will have long since closed by the time he’s eligible to sign with an NFL team.
According to Fred Lyles, a long-tenured NFL agent who represents Stiggers south of the border, the Argonauts have granted permission for his client to participate in predraft workouts, including the East-West Shrine Bowl at the end of the month. Lyles appreciates how strongly Toronto has supported Stiggers as he looks to pursue the NFL.
“The Argos organization has been first-class, responsive, and cooperative throughout Qwan’tez’s NFL eligibility process,” said Lyles. “The organization has also shown a sincere commitment to Qwan’tez’s efforts to explore opportunities in the NFL, which shows the organization’s willingness and commitment to provide players with opportunities to be successful in the CFL and NFL.”
The veteran agent, who previously represented Pro Bowl cornerbacks A. J. Bouye and Chris Harris Jr., believes Stiggers has a good chance of being drafted. He indicated that around half the NFL’s general managers have contacted him regarding Stiggers, which seems like a positive sign.
Clemons indicated that he sought advice from the CFL during its recent off-season winter meetings regarding how to proceed with Stiggers given his somewhat unique situation. He also confirmed there is significant NFL interest in the defensive back.
Though he technically remains under contract with the Argonauts for another year, don’t expect Stiggers to be back in double blue anytime soon. Though he will remain under contract with Toronto for the next few months, he seems destined for the NFL in 2024.
