CLEMSON in the NFL

Ruke Orhorhoro may have worked into a Day 2 selection for the NFL draft.  (Photo: Kirby Lee / USATODAY)
Ruke Orhorhoro may have worked into a Day 2 selection for the NFL draft. (Photo: Kirby Lee / USATODAY)

Nate Wiggins, Ruke Orhorhoro named standouts for NFL combine by ESPN


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Two Clemson prospects made a name for themselves out of last week's NFL combine in Indianapolis, according to ESPN's insiders.

Ruke Orhorhoro was first up in the workouts on Thursday.

"Orhorhoro made a statement Thursday in an interior defensive line class that has a lot of question marks in the second and third tiers. At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, he ran a 4.90 in the 40 and jumped 9-foot-8 in the broad jump -- both standout numbers for him. He was an early Day 3 prospect, but I could see him going inside the top 100 after that workout. And for NFL teams that play a multiple defensive front, Orhorhoro (five sacks in 2023) is a logical fit since he can play all over the line," said ESPN's Jordan Reid.

He was tabbed with an elite metric ranking from MathBomb, which had Orhorhoro's RAS score as the 21st-best of all defensive tackle prospects going back to 1987.

While his 40-time didn't finish as the best of the weekend, Nate Wiggins still tied a Clemson-best (4.28; Jacoby Ford in 2010) and bolstered his case for a first-round selection.

"It didn't take long for Wiggins to grab everyone's attention on Friday -- on both ends of the spectrum. First, he weighed in at a surprisingly low 173 pounds. Per ESPN Stats & Information, there have been 16 defensive backs since 2003 to weigh 175 pounds or less at the combine (entering this year). Emmanuel Forbes is the only one to be drafted before the third round, but Wiggins appears headed to Round 1 -- he's my CB3 -- and made a big statement with an outstanding 4.29-second 40-yard dash time [adjusted to 4.28 in official time] and a 36-inch vertical jump. The agility and straight-line speed were as advertised. Wiggins' workout was cut short after he sustained a hip flexor injury, but he's expected to be ready for his pro day on April 1," Reid said.

Clemson will hold its overall Pro Day on March 14 and the NFL draft will come in Detroit from April 25-27.

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