The Ravens have had a lot of hits in the first round of the NFL Draft, but if there’s one position where they’ve consistently struck gold, it’s at cornerback.
Nate Wiggins is the Ravens’ fifth first-round cornerback, following Marlon Humphrey (2017), Jimmy Smith (2011), Chris McAlister (1999), and Duane Starks (1998).
Humphrey has gone to three Pro Bowls. McAlister also was named to three, and he, Starks, and Smith were all integral parts of the Ravens’ two Super Bowl victories.
At pick No. 30, Wiggins is the latest selected of them all, but General Manager Eric DeCosta is confident he can make a similar impact.
“I think his future is very, very bright,” DeCosta said Tuesday when reviewing the draft with reporters more than a week later.
So how have the Ravens had so much success at picking good cornerbacks in the first round? Of course, you want a cornerback that does everything well. But when it comes to the first round, DeCosta said it’s about finding special traits – something that sets them apart from their peers.
Humphrey, Smith and McAlister were all special athletes – big and fast. Although Starks was a smaller guy, he had 4.4 speed and was pound-for-pound one of the toughest cornerbacks. Wiggins is the fastest of them all, blazing the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds.
“I look at Nate as great feet, speed, coverability,” DeCosta said. “Guys don’t get open against him. He can just flat-out cover; that’s really important. His superpower is when he’s covering a guy, there’s going to be very little space.”
Wiggins has the height at 6-foot-1, but his 182-pound weight has raised questions among pundits and may have led to him being available at pick No. 30. He was the third cornerback drafted behind Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles, No. 22) and Terrion Arnold (Lions, No. 24), but the Ravens feel he was the best pure cover corner.
DeCosta said he has confidence in the team’s strength and conditioning staff and Director of Sports Nutrition Sarah Snyder to work with Wiggins. The Ravens general manager also said linebacker Roquan Smith and Humphrey are great mentors for the rookie when it comes to being a pro. Wiggins said last week that he’s already been in contact with both.
“There’s this perception that Nate is this skinny, skinny guy,” 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.”
