Ravens first-round pick wrongfully snubbed in 2024 re-draft

Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins has already made his mark in his first preseason with the Baltimore Ravens. The former Clemson Tiger fell into the laps of the Ravens with the 30th pick in the 2024 NFL draft. They have been celebrating ever since.

Wiggins entered the draft with exceptional recovery speed, coverage skills, and a deep understanding of football. He's tall and has a long reach. His quickness allows him to close the gap between himself and receivers quickly. He was considered a borderline first-round pick at the time of the draft.

Wiggins has done nothing in the offseason to suggest that he doesn't warrant a first-round pick. In fact, he's actually exceeded preliminary expectations and has done a terrific job as a cover corner. His preseason play was amazing, evidenced by his gaudy advanced stats from Pro Football Focus.

Wiggins has positioned himself to be a standout rookie cornerback and a potential candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. According to John Harbaugh, in an interview with Ryan Mink of Baltimore Ravens' official website, Wiggins is "going to be counted on heavily this year."

Vibes are giving the Ravens are very happy with their selection. In a re-draft, it feels like they would choose Wiggins again. However, that's not the way Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report saw things.

B/R gets it wrong with the omission of Nate Wiggins in their re-draft

It wasn't necessarily the fact the Ravens selected a different player other than Wiggins. It wasn't necessarily the selection from Fowler didn't make sense. The wrongdoing stems from Wiggins being left out of the 2024 first-round re-draft entirely.

Fowler suggests instead of Wiggins, the Ravens select Alabama monster OT JC Latham. On paper, there is nothing wrong with this selection. Latham is an absolute unit and would instantly bring stability to an offensive line that is retooling.

"While Latham was drafted by Tennessee in reality, in this exercise, his alignment versatility and vertical power in the run game would have been welcomed with open arms."

- Ryan Fowler

Latham would be a good choice, but what has he shown (or Wiggins not shown) that would suggest he's worthy of being selected over Wiggins?

While noted above, Wiggins has really looked the part of a future lockdown cornerback. It feels very much like we'll see many infamous seatbelt celebrations from the rookie corner for years to come. That makes it all the more puzzling why he wasn't selected at all in this re-draft.

The re-draft saw five cornerbacks selected. In the real 2024 NFL draft, only three corners were taken in the first round, Wiggins being one of them. So, not only is Wiggins no longer seen as a first-round pick, but three other cornerbacks have surpassed him this offseason? That's Mr. Peanuts-level nutty.

Quinyon Mitchell and Terrion Arnold were selected before Wiggins in the actual draft. They were also the top two corners taken in the re-draft. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Kamari Lassiter, and Cooper DeJean round out the remaining corners taken in the re-draft, suggesting they are assuredly better than Wiggins.

Luckily, Wiggins will have the chance to showcase his draft selection on a Ravens defense that boasts several stars. Playing alongside Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton in the defensive backfield likely means Wiggins will be targeted frequently.

When it's all said and done, Wiggins will get the last laugh and prove he deserves to be a first-round pick.

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