Dolphins bring in Canadian Football League standout with unusual story. And personnel news

The Dolphins, who snagged Cameron Wake from the Canadian Football League and then watched him become a five-time Pro Bowler, continued their quest to find another CFL gem on Monday when they brought cornerback Qwan’Tez Stiggers to team headquarters.

Stiggers, who is eligible for the April 25-27 NFL Draft, had five interceptions for the Toronto Argonauts in his rookie season last year.

Far more compelling are his backstory and ability to overcome personal tragedy.

Stiggers grew up in a family of 13 children and attended B.E.S.T. Academy, a high school in Atlanta.

A serious car accident in February 2020 left Stiggers’ father in a coma, and he died that September, shortly after Stiggers had enrolled at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee.

His father’s death triggered depression that caused Stiggers to leave school. He initially drove for DoorDash and washed trucks.

“I couldn’t focus,” he told The Athletic. “It was like a period of time where I’d try to do something — anything — and then a picture of my dad would just pop up in my head. Didn’t matter what it was. And it would just shut me right down.”

His mother, Kwanna Martiel Stiggers, was eager to help her son and began looking for football opportunities for him.

At the urging of his mom, Stiggers signed with Fan Controlled Football, an indoor, semi-pro, 7-on-7 football league based in Atlanta.

While playing for that league, he caught the eye of John Jenkins, a veteran coach involved in Fan Controlled Football, and Jenkins sent Stiggers’ tape to CFL teams.

Toronto offered him a tryout, and he quickly impressed everyone. Initially a long shot to make the roster, Stiggers instead became a starter after signing 15 months ago.

As a rookie last season, he had 53 tackles and five interceptions. He was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie and impressed teams at the East-West Shrine Game and at his recent Pro Day in Atlanta.

Stiggers posted a 36.5-inch vertical jump, 10-8 broad jump and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds —- all strong numbers.

Besides Monday’s visit with the Dolphins, Stiggers also has predraft visits booked with the Jets and Bengals, among others. He previously visited the Lions and Texans.

Stiggers, who’s 5-11 and 203 pounds, is trying to become the third player to be drafted without playing college football. According to ESPN, defensive tackle Eric Swann (1991) and wide receiver Moritz Boehringer (2016) are the only other players who achieved that.

MOCK DRAFTS

ESPN’s Matt Miller did one of those seven-round mock drafts that are becoming in vogue.

His picks for the Dolphins, with his comments:

▪ First round (No. 21): Alabama offensive tackle/guard JC Latham: “Salary cap concerns have forced the Dolphins to remake their offensive line, and Latham could fit well. He’s a handful for defensive linemen at 343 pounds and has excellent grip strength. Latham was a two-year starter at right tackle for Alabama [two sacks allowed] but has the potential to play either tackle or guard in the pros; he would likely push right guard Robert Jones out of the starting lineup as a rookie.”

▪ Second round (No. 55): West Virginia center Zach Frazier: “A late-season injury to Connor Williams affected the team down the stretch. Frazier is a top-32 prospect on my board, but teams aren’t in a hurry to prioritize centers in the draft yet. The four-year starter was a state wrestling champion in high school, and he is perfect for Mike McDaniel’s zone offense that needs mobility in the middle of the offensive line. Plus, Frazier has the tools to start at guard or center.”

▪ Fifth round (No. 158): Northern Iowa defensive tackle Khristian Boyd, who has been scheduled for a Dolphins predraft visit.

▪ Sixth round: Auburn safety Jaylin Simpson at No. 184 and Mississippi State cornerback Decamerion Richardson at 198.

▪ Seventh round (241): Georgia State linebacker Jontrey Hunter.

NEWS NOTE

It’s undetermined if Dolphins free agent center Williams will play this upcoming season because of a serious knee injury.

But when he does play again, the Dolphins have not been ruled out as a possibility, a league source said. The sides will remain in occasional communication.

Williams sustained a torn ACL in last December’s Monday night loss to Tennessee. While full details on the injury haven’t been revealed, it is considered more serious than a simple ACL tear.

Miami signed former Titans starter Aaron Brewer to be their center next season.

▪ According to two sources, the Dolphins have had at least some level of communication with two veteran free agent starting guards, and one part-time starting guard, but have indicated they might want to get through the draft before deciding whether to add a veteran starting guard.

Isaiah Wynn is expected to be the front-runner to start at left guard. The right guard could be Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones, Lester Cotton, Jack Driscoll or someone who’s not currently on the roster.