Jets draft CFL cornerback to finish fifth round

One of the 2024 draft’s more interesting prospects is off the board. Cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers has been drafted with the No. 176 by the Jets.

Stiggers represents the first player drafted into the NFL after beginning his pro career in the Canadian Football League. Stiggers also spent time in the Fan-Controlled Football League as part of his unique path to the NFL level. He is one of a few players in history to be drafted after not playing NCAA football.

The 22-year-old’s plans went on hold following the death of his father. Rather than attending school and playing at the Division II level, Stiggers temporarily decided against pursuing a college football career. His unsuccessful bid to return to an NCAA program in 2022 led him to the Fan-Controlled league, in which he recorded five interceptions in 12 games. That led to interest from the XFL, but Stiggers elected to head north of the border for the 2023 campaign.

Quickly earning a starting role on the Toronto Argonauts (the team that finished the year with the CFL’s best regular season record), Stiggers racked up five interceptions and 12 pass deflections. Those totals earned him Most Outstanding Rookie honors as well as an All-Star nod. It also put him firmly on the radar of the NFL Draft, something which was cemented by his pre-draft process.

Stiggers’ Pro Day (which took place at an academy in his hometown of Atlanta) produced a 40-yard dash time of 4.45. That speed, coupled with his 5--foot-11, 204-pound frame, could allow him to earn a roster spot this year in New York. The Jets are set atop the CB depth chart, but Stiggers could serve in a rotational role while contributing on special teams. It will be interesting to see if he manages to make history by succeeding in his efforts regarding a CFL-to-NFL jump.