The first player drafted directly out of the CFL since 1999, Qwan'tez Stiggers never played a down of college football on his way to the Jets' secondary.
Qwan'tez Stiggers has one of the most unusual biographies in the NFL: no college football snaps, a run through the indoor Fan Controlled Football league, and a breakout rookie season with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts before the Jets made him a fifth-round pick. He has since become a steady contributor in New York's cornerback rotation.
Path to the league
Stiggers never played college football, instead playing in Fan Controlled Football in 2022 before signing with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in January 2023. He started 16 games as a rookie, recording 53 defensive tackles and five interceptions, earning CFL Most Outstanding Rookie and All-Star honors. The Jets drafted him in the fifth round (176th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft, making him the first player selected directly from the CFL since 1999.
Career highlights
Stiggers' rookie CFL season put him on NFL radars despite his nontraditional background, and the Jets bet on his ball skills and coverage instincts when they drafted him in 2024. He has worked into New York's cornerback rotation in his first two NFL seasons.
2025 season recap
Through the 2025 season, Stiggers recorded 35 total tackles and two fumble recoveries for the Jets, continuing to build on the unconventional path that brought him to the league.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Qwan'tez Stiggers
- ESPN: Qwan'tez Stiggers
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
15 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | jets | 15 | 27 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 2024 | jets | 14 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Cornerback
- Group
- defense
- College
- -
- Hometown
- Atlanta, GA, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
