Ravens CB Room Has Elite Potential With Two Additions

The Baltimore Ravens were good at the cornerback position. After the 2024 NFL Draft -- they have the potential to be great.

Nov 25, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) smiles after / Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens had a solid cornerback group before the 2024 NFL Draft.

All-Pro Marlon Humphrey has consistently been one of the best corners in the league since his debut in 2017.

Last season, Humphrey earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 64.8. While it might seem like a decline from his 2022 season of 76.7, it should be taken into account his snaps played went down by nearly half -- 540 in 2023 from 1,051 in 2022.

Humphrey also allowed a passer rating of 67.4 -- the second best of his career.

The primary No. 2 corner for Baltimore was Brandon Stephens. Stephens had his best season and played over 1,200 snaps. Stephens stepped up to the role of playing out wide after spending much of his first two seasons in the slot or in the box.

For his efforts, Stephens earned an above-average PFF overall grade of 67.4 -- placing 50th among among 127 cornerbacks.

In the draft, the Ravens turned a good cornerback group into one with the potential to be great.

Baltimore took advantage of poor drafters and an offensive-heavy first-round to select Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins at pick No. 30.

Most years, Wiggins might go in the Top 20, perhaps the Top 15 picks.

Expert analyst Greg Cosell said Wiggins might be "the most athletically gifted corner prospect in the 2024 draft class.

"Wiggins showed the ability to play physical press-man and mirror-match press-man," Cosell wrote. "What Wiggins consistently showed was an explosive plant and drive closing speed from off coverage. I may not have seen a corner with that kind of elite lateral and downhill burst in recent memory ... He might be the most exciting corner prospect in this class with his ability to play press-man and carry vertical routes with his top-end speed. Plus, his ability to play off-coverage with explosive click-and-close is impressive."

Now, Wiggins can take the No. 2 position alongside Humphrey, with Stephens rotating in as a depth piece or possibly returning to his role in the box or the slot.

The selection of Iowa State's TJ Tampa at pick No. 130 was a masterclass of draft value.

PFF had Tampa rated as the No. 51 prospect in the draft, and named Tampa their favorite Ravens pick of 2024.

"Tampa's unique fluidity and size for a cornerback make him worthy of a top-75 pick. If he can clean up his footwork, he can be a starting outside cornerback with the potential to be an impact player," PFF wrote.

Even if Tampa cannot quite make it as an outside option early on, he could be an impact player in different schemes as a slot corner.

In their AFC Championship defeat to Kansas City, Baltimore allowed tight end Travis Kelce to catch every one of his 11 targets, wide receiver Rashee Rice caught eight of nine, and Marquez Valdez-Scantling caught both of his two targets at 19 yards-per-reception.

The selections of Wiggins and Tampa are an investment to not allow that kind of offensive production.

The rematch with Kansas City in the season opener could be indicative of how well the investment pays off.

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