Ravens Draft Grade: Baltimore Lands Star in First Round

The Baltimore Ravens selected cornerback Nate Wiggins with the No. 30 overall pick, and they should be commended for it.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 26, 2024

Sep 16, 2023; Clemson, South Carolina; Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) returns an interception / Gannett-USA TODAY NETWORK

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Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are thrilled to have Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins added to their team after being selected with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Wiggins was the third cornerback taken off the board and he fills a big need for the Ravens in the secondary.

Given the fact that the Ravens filled a need with a player they thought wouldn't be available, the team is getting an A- for the pick.

Wiggins has good length for a cornerback at 6-2, which will allow him to be a defender against some of the biggest receivers in the league. He also has blazing 4.28 speed, which allows him to keep up with the fastest players in the NFL. And he still has a ton of potential that the Ravens can extract from.

There are some parts of this move that aren't perfect, however. While Wiggins has the length and the speed, his 175-pound frame could have him struggle against some of the league's stronger receivers. He's only 20 years old, so he has time to grow physically.

The Ravens also had the chance to acquire more picks and possibly grab Wiggins early in the second round given the drop on cornerbacks and defensive prospects as a whole. Had they gotten more assets and still drafted Wiggins, they probably would have gotten an A for the move.

Instead, the Ravens get an A-, which is a terrific start to their draft class. They will have opportunities to add onto it as the weekend continues and build one of the top rookie crops in the NFL.

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Published Apr 26, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.