Why Ravens Rookie CB Fell to Day 3

The Baltimore Ravens ended T.J. Tampa's NFL Draft fall by taking him in the fourth round.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 30, 2024

Sep 16, 2023; Athens, Ohio, USA; Ohio Bobcats wide receiver Sam Wiglusz (12) takes a hit from Iowa / Matt Lunsford-USA TODAY Sports

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Baltimore Ravens

Some NFL Draft boards had Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa inside the top 50, so it was a surprise he wasn't taken until the Baltimore Ravens selected him with the No. 130 overall pick in the fourth round of this past weekend's draft.

Despite other teams expressing concerns with Tampa, the Ravens didn't feel the same way.

"He had a Big 12 Pro Day, and he did not run at the Combine, so that might have hurt him a little bit, but for us, we see the length, we see the size, we see the leaping ability [and] his ability to play the football," general manager Eric DeCosta said. "He's a tough guy. He tackles well. We're excited. We think he's going to have a chip on his shoulder and play well."

DeCosta also said there would have been a chance for the Ravens to take Tampa on Day 2 if the team hadn't selected Clemson's Nate Wiggins with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round. Even though the team has two new cornerbacks, there's reason to believe that both could be part of the Ravens' long-term plans at the position.

Now that the draft is behind him, Tampa doesn't have to worry about where he was selected. He may not have been taken where he wanted, but he's with the Ravens now, a team that is really excited to have him. And there's hope on both sides that this is exactly where he was meant to be.

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Published Apr 30, 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.