The Baltimore Ravens placed a premium on finding the best cover corner available in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they appear to have struck gold by drafting a Top-20 prospect in Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins at No. 30 overall.
Wiggins likely fell due to concerns about his frame, as the 6-2 cornerback weighed in at an alarming 173 pounds at the NFL Combine and 182 pounds at his pro day. This has led to concerns about his ability to be a complete corner who defends the run well.
Not only do the Ravens seem optimistic about Wiggins, who doesn’t turn 21 years old until August 28, putting on weight, but the rest of the league seems to be very complimentary of what Eric DeCosta did in the Draft. The Ravens’ reputation as an elite drafting team remains strong.
“He’s smooth, and even though he’s thin, he plays big,” an AFC personnel executive said, via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “That was the steal of the first round for me.” A different AFC scout said Wiggins was “terrible against the run,” yet declared him to be the best pure cover cornerback in this class.
Baltimore Ravens rookie Nate Wiggins hyped by AFC executives
Wiggins didn’t allow a touchdown during his final season with the Tigers, and new Ravens teammate Devontez Walker was the only player to record a catch of greater than 20 yards against him. With elite speed and terrific footwork in coverage, Wiggins has everything a coach could look for in a cornerback prospect in coverage.
Wiggins tries to set the edge in the running game, but his lack of great size led to mixed results as a tackler. While the “terrible” designation by that anonymous scout was a bit harsh, Wiggins will need to make some strides in this area to become a Pro Bowl cornerback.
Wiggins will join one of the hardest-hitting secondaries in the league, as Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton, and Marcus Williams will give Wiggins more than enough support as he develops in the pros. In terms of raw talent, no one is questioning that Wiggins has the skills needed to succeed in an aggressive defense like the one Baltimore has.
The Ravens’ 2024 draft class was praised by many around the league for finding solid value while addressing some of their biggest needs, and none of their picks did both more emphatically than Wiggins (whom they refused eight trades to take). If he clicks, Baltimore has another star defender on their hands.