The Baltimore Ravens sat back at pick No. 30 in the 2024 NFL Draft and its pick dropped right to the slot.
Former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins was waiting for their selection, and now he joins Baltimore’s impressive unit after a 13-4 season. Following the selection, countless outlets graded every first round pick.
There was a consensus belief that Wiggins was a strong pick, and he got a strong landing spot with a team prepared to win now.
Grade: A
“Year after year, the Ravens land quality prospects at extreme value. That is the case again this year with Wiggins. Some apparently overthought his relative slight frame and ignored his elite feet and smooth hips. Wiggins is the best pure man-to-man cover corner in this class.”
Grade: A-minus
“One of the fastest players on the board (4.28 40 at the combine), Wiggins is quick off the line of scrimmage and also possesses excellent second-level speed — a combination that makes him incredibly difficult to beat vertically. Wiggins’ length (6-1 with almost 31-inch arms) is also a plus. He got his hands on a combined 25 passes over the last two seasons at Clemson.
The question marks here are size and power. Wiggins weighed 173 pounds at the combine, before checking in at a reported 182 pounds at his pro day. He was mainly an outside-only corner in college, and it remains to be seen how much he can give the Ravens against the run. He’s a first-round talent in this draft, though, to be sure.”
Grade: B
“Wiggins’ recovery speed stood out on tape and was confirmed with a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s not a physical tackler, but is competitive at the catch point. Wiggins weighed just 173 pounds (measuring 6-foot-1 3/8 inch) at the combine, which is reminiscent of last year’s lean first-round corner for Washington, Emmanuel Forbes, who struggled as a rookie. The Ravens passed on Kool-Aid McKinstry to pick Wiggins and did not address the offensive tackle position despite Ronnie Stanley’s injury history and the trade of Morgan Moses.”
Grade: B
“Fluid and fast (4.28 seconds in the 40-yard dash), the 6-1 Wiggins is built to stick with speedy NFL receivers downfield. At 173 pounds, however, he’s liable to get pushed around by the likes of Ja’Marr Chase and George Pickens (who isn’t?) in the AFC North. He’s not much for tackling, either. As he works to fill out his frame and become more physical, Wiggins should help Baltimore bottle up big plays while making a few himself.”
Grade: B+
“They have a need at corner and Wiggins might be the best cover player of all of them. He isn’t a great tackler, but he can lock on and play press man in their defense. He just needs to improve his tackling.”