Qwan'tez Stiggers

Qwan'tez London Stiggers (born January 8, 2002) is an American football cornerback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Unlike most professional football players from the United States, Stiggers did not play college football.

Qwan'tez Stiggers
Stiggers with the Argonauts in 2023
No. 37 – New York Jets
Position:Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (2002-01-08) January 8, 2002
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:204 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:The B.E.S.T.
(Atlanta, Georgia)
College:None
NFL draft:2024 / Round: 5 / Pick: 176
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career CFL statistics
Total tackles:56
Interceptions:5
Player stats at CFL.ca

Early life

Stiggers grew up in a family of 13 children and attended The B.E.S.T. Academy high school in Atlanta where he played American football, basketball, and baseball.[1] One of his brothers was almost left as a quadriplegic after a spinal cord accident playing football.[2] Stiggers' father was involved in a serious car accident on February 14, 2020, and later died on September 19, 2020, while Stiggers was a freshman at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee; his father's death caused him to enter into a significant depression that resulted in him dropping out despite being on a scholarship.[3]

Professional career

Fan Controlled Football

At the urging of his mother, Stiggers tried out for and signed with Fan Controlled Football (FCF), a livestreaming indoor American football league.[3] He played during the 2022 FCF season and caught the attention of former Toronto Argonauts offensive coordinator Josh Jenkins, who suggested he should try out for the Canadian Football League.[4][2]

Toronto Argonauts

Stiggers signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on January 4, 2023, and attended the team's rookie camp at the University of Guelph later that May.[1][3] While many expected him to be cut during the preseason due to his lack of college or professional experience, Stiggers made the team's initial regular season roster and also became a regular starter for the Argonauts during his rookie 2023 CFL season, successfully transitioning to play Canadian football.[3][5] He played in 16 regular season games where he had 53 defensive tackles, three special teams tackles, and five interceptions.[6] By the end of the year, he was chosen as the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie and as a CFL East All-Star, as well as selected to attend the 2024 East–West Shrine Bowl prior to the 2024 NFL draft.[6][7][8]

New York Jets
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jump
5 ft 11+3⁄4 in
(1.82 m)		 204 lb
(93 kg)		 30+1⁄2 in
(0.77 m)		 8+7⁄8 in
(0.23 m)		4.49 s1.52 s2.50 s4.32 s7.03 s36.0 in
(0.91 m)		10 ft 8 in
(3.25 m)
All values from Pro Day[9]

Stiggers was selected with the 176th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft by the New York Jets. He was the first player drafted directly from the CFL since Jermaine Haley in 1999.[10]

References
  1. "Argonauts sign three, including 20-year-old FCF standout Qwan'tez Stiggers". 3DownNation. January 4, 2023.
  2. Zwolinski, Mark (May 24, 2023). "Argos hopeful trying to make one team to help support another — his family". Toronto Star.
  3. O'Leary, Chris (July 28, 2023). "O'Leary: Enjoy Argos Qwan'tez Stiggers While You Can". CFL.ca.
  4. "Fan Controlled Football: Youngest player talks about family support". 11Alive. May 8, 2022.
  5. Zwolinski, Mark (October 14, 2023). "The Argos took a flyer on Qwan'tez Stiggers. Now he might be rookie of the year. Here's why". Toronto Star.
  6. "Qwan'tez Stiggers takes home Most Outstanding Rookie honours". Canadian Football League. November 16, 2023.
  7. Ambrose, Dominic (January 27, 2024). "Player spotlight: Qwan'tez Stiggers unorthodox journey to the Shrine Bowl". WithTheFirstPick.com. Fansided.
  8. Murray, Jack (January 27, 2024). "Qwan'tez Stiggers: Being NFL Draftee Without CFB Reps Wouldn't be a 'Fairy Tale'". bleacherreport.com. Bleacher Report.
  9. "2024 NFL Draft Scout Qwan'tez Stiggers College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  10. "Toronto Argonauts DB Qwan'tez Stiggers selected by New York Jets in fifth round of 2024 NFL Draft". 3DownNation. Catena Media. April 27, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
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