Ravens Rookie Responds to Weight Criticism

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins is one of the lightest players in the NFL.

Jeremy Brener | May 11, 2024

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Clemson defensive back Nate Wiggins (DB42) talks to the media / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Coming into the 2024 NFL Draft, very little was deemed as a flaw for Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins. The one thing knocking the Baltimore Ravens first-round pick was his light weight.

Weighing just a little more than 180 pounds, Wiggins is one of the lighter players in the league, but he isn't worried about his size.

"When people bring up my weight, I just say look at film," Wiggins said on "Glenn Clark Radio" on Thursday. "You don't really see folks pushing me around."

Wiggins isn't wrong, but college is far different from the pros. The athleticism and size of the athletes is at a higher caliber. That isn't to say Wiggins can't reach that, but it is a valid concern for some teams, and possibly why he slid all the way to the bottom of the first round.

However, the Ravens never had that concern with Wiggins.

"There's this perception that Nate is this skinny, skinny guy," general manager Eric DeCosta said. "I don't look at it as much of a problem. I think there's an opportunity to get him stronger; I think we do a good job of that. I saw a guy that was a competitive player. I saw a guy that wanted to be a physical player. Getting stronger is only going to help his game. If you love his game right now, you have to be really excited about what he could be."

Ultimately, Wiggins will have to spend a bulk of the offseason, training camp and regular season to grow a little more in hopes of being able to keep up with some of the stronger receivers in the NFL. But if he's able to make that leap and maintain his strong football IQ, he will emerge as a cornerstone for the Ravens.

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Published May 11, 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.