OWINGS MILLS — Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins had an impressive training camp, and the coaches are optimistic that success will carry over to the regular season.
In two preseason games, Wiggins recorded a 91.1 coverage grade, allowed just 8 yards to opposing wide receivers, forced 3 incompletions, and had a 39.6 passer rating against opposing quarterbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
Wiggins has put himself in a position to be part of a talented group of cornerbacks that includes Marlon Humphrey, a former first-team All-Pro; Brandon Stephens, who keeps getting better; and Arther Maulet, who is dealing with a knee injury and might start the season on injured reserve.
“I felt like Nate did well,” coach John Harbaugh said after the final preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. “It seemed like he did well in the game. A couple of times, they threw his way, [and] he was there. [He] made a nice play; I believe it was a third-down situation, if I remember it right. He’s had a heck of a camp. He’s definitely everything we thought he was, and not that he can’t get better, because he can, and I’m sure he will, because he works at it. He’s going to be counted on heavily this year for us.”
The Ravens selected Wiggins with the 30th pick in the 2024 NFL draft. It was the first cornerback the team selected in the first round since Humphrey was the 16th overall pick in 2017.
Wiggins is a lockdown defensive back who allowed just one completion of 20-plus yards last season at Clemson. He ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, so he has the speed to keep up with NFL wide receivers.
Last season, the Ravens ranked second in the NFL with 18 interceptions. Wiggins could help them remain high on that list.
“I just know they are ballhawks and they get a lot of turnovers,” Wiggins said this offseason. “I know this past season, they were the top defense, so I know my place [and] my competitiveness will fit [in] right along with the great defense.”
Wiggins has endeared himself to the coaches by being engaged during meetings and on the practice field. He has a nose for the ball and made a couple of interceptions during training camp when he read the quarterback’s eyes and jumped wide receivers’ routes.
The key is for him to work on his strength, but he is ready to play in the NFL.
“[Assistant head coach/pass game coordinator] Chris [Hewitt] is doing a great job of working with him, just teaching him the type of technique that we want him to execute here,” Ravens secondary coach Doug Mallory said. “But he has recovery speed, and that’s one thing that you can’t teach. Chris is doing a great job of getting him just working on the line of scrimmage, where he can be a little bit more disruptive … But he’s fortunate that he’s got recovery speed, [so] if he’s not as sound as he needs to be technique-wise on the line of scrimmage, he’s got the ability to close, and then he’s got the length to be able to help him get out of a bad situation.
“But certainly, like any young guy, they have to continue to hit the weight room, get stronger, get bigger, and that’ll come.”