From an early age, Qwan'tez Stiggers couldn't imagine doing anything other than playing soccer.
The 22-year-old knew it wouldn't be an easy road for him to realize his dream of playing in the NFL, but he certainly didn't envision what would ultimately unfold over the past three years – a journey yet to come. There were once two strangers. leagues and two countries now consider him a buzz candidate for this week's NFL Draft, attracting the attention of top insiders like Adam Schefter.
“It's almost surreal for me. For the opportunity to help my family, I have to give a huge thank you to my agent Fred Lyles and a special thank you to the Toronto Argonauts for allowing me to go through this process,” Stiggers said by phone from his home. in Atlanta. “I wouldn't have believed anyone who told me I would be in this position. This has always been a dream for me and my dream is finally coming true. So I'm just grateful to God and my family for supporting me throughout this journey.”
Raised in Atlanta in a family of 13 children, Stiggers attended a small high school where he played multiple positions before switching to fullback. He eventually received a scholarship from Lane College, a Division II HBCU in Jackson, Tenn.
But unfortunately for Stiggers, after losing his freshman season to the COVID-19 pandemic, his life was turned upside down by a family tragedy.
In February 2020, Stiggers' father, Rayves Harrison, was in a car accident that left him in a coma. He died that September and the unexpected loss devastated Stiggers.
The last thing the Atlanta native could think about was playing football. For him, playing a game with his biggest fan gone and his family struggling through a difficult time in their lives was too difficult to overcome.
Stiggers dropped out of school and began looking for any job he could find to help support his family, including jobs with DoorDash and InstaCart, as well as washing trucks at an airport near his home. He also struggled with depression.
Stiggers' mother, Kwanna, saw the pain her son was going through and didn't want him to give up on his dreams. After seeing the registration link on Facebook, she urged him to play in the Fan Controlled League, a seven-player indoor soccer league with no starting or special teams and to fans call the plays.
“I stopped playing soccer after my dad passed away,” Stiggers said. “I'm done because it doesn't feel the same. And then, I guess, that ad appeared on my mom's Facebook page. I don't know how my mom got on Facebook but she signed me up and it sent a link to my email. I asked: 'Mom, what is this?' She replied: 'I signed you up. Go out and have fun.” So I went out there and I did it.”
That decision would change everything for Stiggers.
Playing in the FCL put him on the radar of the Toronto Argonauts after John Jenkins, the team's former assistant coach, sent a message to the front office urging staff to watch some of his game footage . Assistant general manager Vince Magri reached out to Stiggers on Instagram to see if he was interested in the CFL.
After speaking with the team, Stiggers was offered a rookie contract and after some time to decide, Stiggers went to Toronto.
“The first thing that came to my mind was that we had to get passports. So I contacted family members to help me get a passport,” Stiggers said. “I finally made enough money to get a passport and go to Canada.”
The transition was difficult. Unlike college players, who have everything sorted out for them, Stiggers has to figure out a lot on his own at age 21, while also worrying about leaving his fiancee, Cheyenne, and their only son. age at home.
“I had to move to another country without knowing what it would be like to live alone – because when I moved [of the family home], my fiancee moved with me everywhere I went,” Stiggers explains. “I had to find a way to do these things on my own while also missing my fiancee and son in the process, because I was used to seeing my son every day. I was dealing with anxiety but it got better because, you know, I took the time to talk to him.
“Then, with five weeks left in the season, that's when she and my son drove 16 hours to come live with me, and Argos played a key role in helping me move into an apartment with him and my fiancée.”
Deciding to play in the CFL was a big gamble for Stiggers because there was no guarantee he would make the team. He also won't be paid while he attends training camp and will still have to find a way to support his family.
He's also trying to break down an Argonauts roster that just won a Gray Cup title and introduce players with experience playing various levels of NCAA football and in some cases in the NFL.
Even the Argonauts were skeptical when they learned the Stiggers would try to field a team with no college experience. Luckily for him, he met middle school coach Will Fields when he was trying to recruit him to play high school football in Nebraska.
All the team's doubts about Stiggers were forgotten as soon as he stepped onto the practice field.
“There are some little things about body composition, and you can tell he's a rookie,” Magri said in a phone call with Sportsnet.ca. “But when the soccer drills started, [it was clear] The athletic ability we saw on the ice certainly translated onto the field. He's out there playing football, putting his feet on the ground, reacting and receiving the ball. He showed that he belonged pretty quickly.”
To his surprise, Stiggers made the team out of camp, becoming one of the youngest players in the tournament. Immediately after that, he was forced to start due to injury. It's not a situation many CFL rookies find themselves in, but he didn't shy away from the challenge, recording an interception in his first start following a pass from former CFL Most Valuable Player Bo Levi Mitchell in the zone. end zone.
After the game, Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie praised Stiggers for his ability to handle all that was thrown at him, and said he sees a bright future ahead for the young DB. It turns out Dinwiddie's assertion turned out to be true, just sooner than he expected.
Months later, Stiggers was on stage accepting the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie award.
When asked what was going through his mind when he heard his name called, Stiggers said his mind immediately went to his biggest fan.
“Dad, I did it,” he said. “I know he's looking down from heaven and saying, 'I'm proud of you.'”
It was clear that his time in the CFL would be short given his emergence as a top young player in the league and NFL teams expressed interest during the offseason. But the next step for him will be different from other players looking for opportunities in the NFL.
It is not uncommon for CFL players to receive contract offers from NFL teams before the upcoming season. However, Stiggers' path would have to be different. Since he didn't go to college and is about to graduate, he will have to go through the military draft. If he hears his name called, he will be the first CFL player to be drafted into the NFL without going to college.
Since his CFL season ended, Stiggers has been giving it his all. He played in the East-West Shrine Bowl, got a chance to showcase himself in front of NFL scouts and talent evaluators, then had 29 teams attend his individual pro day in Atlanta .
Magri believes that the obstacles Stiggers had to overcome have made him capable of handling anything that comes his way.
“Obviously, he's been through a lot in his life, but the way he lives every day, as a kid having to leave home and go live in a whole new country with no school experience college before that made doing what he did, and just to become a professional player, taking care of all the work, his rehabilitation, finding the right people in the locker room, getting training not only from coaches but also from veterans. He did everything he needed to do the right way,” Magri said.
Stiggers' story attracted attention, with several teams inviting the defensive back to visit their facilities. Magri said the Argonauts have received calls from almost every team in the NFL trying to get information from the coaching staff, coaches and front office staff.
For Stiggers, getting his name called has always been the goal, but he hopes it's more than just an interesting Draft Day story.
“I learned that once I was drafted or signed, the story no longer mattered,” Stiggers said. What matters is how long you stay. People may consider it a fairy tale but I see it as a long journey and once I got my foot in the door of the NFL. It's not important. And all I can say is thank you to everyone who helped me, including my coach in Toronto. Go Argos!”
