The Detroit Lions are set to host Toronto Argonauts cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers for one of their top 30 NFL Draft visits, according to a report from Aaron Wilson.
NFL teams are allowed to invite up to 30 prospects for interviews, facility tours and medical tours in the lead-up to the Draft. While the practice is typically referred to by the misnomer ‘top 30,’ the practice is generally an indication of which players the organization feels might be available to them based on the selection order of the draft or ones on which they require more information.
Prospects who live or attend school within 50 miles of the team facility do not count against this quota. Workouts are not permitted during official visits.
Stiggers is expected to travel to interview with several NFL teams this offseason based on the uniqueness of his story. The 22-year-old did not attend college due to personal issues and began his career in the Fan Controlled Football League, before making his way to the CFL last season. He was first able to declare for the NFL Draft in 2024 by virtue of being three years removed from high school.
The six-foot, 197-pound defender earned a starting role at boundary cornerback for the Argonauts in 2023 and played 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 remains under contract with Toronto for next season, with the club being under no legal obligation to release him outside of the NFL window which ended on February 13. However, the team has indicated that they would entertain the possibility of a compassionate release if he was selected in the NFL Draft and have granted him permission to fully engage with the pre-draft process.
The native of Atlanta, Ga. recently attended the East-West Shrine Bowl all-star game and drew rave reviews for his performance. He is expected to go through physical testing at the University of Georgia pro day, with the Lions jumping to the front of what is expected to be a long line of teams seeking to get to know the unusual prospect.
If selected, Stiggers would be the fourth player in the common era to be drafted into the NFL with no collegiate experience. The last player drafted directly from the CFL was Argonauts defensive tackle Jermaine Haley, who was taken in the seventh round of the 1999 Draft by the Miami Dolphins.
The 2024 NFL Draft will take place in Detroit, Mich. from April 25 to 27.
