The Baltimore Ravens may have made fans wait a bit until they made their first selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the final result seems to have been met with a good chunk of praise. Eric DeCosta has made Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins the newest member of the team's championship push.
Wiggins was picked No. 30 overall in the 2024 Draft, giving the Ravens a major boost in an area of need. After the Bengals made a statement with Georgia tackle Amarius Mims at No. 18 overall and the Steelers brought Troy Fautanu in at No. 20 overall, the Ravens needed to respond with a big move, and they did just that by selecting Wiggins.
After an offseason of change that saw multiple big-name starters on both sides of the ball leave in free agency, addressing their holes over at cornerback should have been a point of major emphasis for the Ravens. They have done that in grand style with this pick.
Even with most of the draft still to come, fans can expect big things from their top pick. Wiggins could earn some serious playing time as a rookie, making good on his vast well of potential. DeCosta may have hit another home run.
With pick No. 30 we have selected CB Nate Wiggins❗
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 26, 2024
Welcome to Baltimore, @WigginNathaniel❗ pic.twitter.com/xhPtL6DCHv
Baltimore Ravens select Clemson CB Nate Wiggins in 2024 NFL Draft
Wiggins is a tall, lean cornerback at 6-2 and a very frail 173 pounds. During his last year at Clemson, Wiggins recorded 22 tackles and two interceptions while intercepting two passes. Without question, he was the best cornerback in the ACC, and he may have been the best pure man-coverage corner in this class.
Wiggins' speed will be his calling card, as a 40-yard dash time of 4.28 seconds confirmed his status as one of the country's elite burners. With sticky man coverage, incredible length that helps him swallow up defensive backs, and solid ball skills, Wiggins was suffocating in college.
The Ravens seem to be a bit worried about the long-term potential of Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens at cornerback given the former's injuries and the latter's inconsistency. If Wiggins plays up to his potential alongside Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams, the Ravens could have the best secondary in the NFL.
While it remains to be seen how long it will take for Wiggins to slide his way into the starting lineup, it's hard to fault the Ravens for taking a chance on his raw talent and great speed. Welcome to the Ravens, Nate.