OWINGS MILLS — The Ravens added depth to their secondary by selecting Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins with the 30th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night.
Wiggins, who is 6-foot-1, 182 pounds, is a lockdown defensive back who allowed just one completion of 20-plus yards last season. He ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
“Honestly I didn’t think Nate would be there for us,” general manager Eric DeCosta said.
It was the first cornerback the Ravens selected in the first round since Marlon Humphrey with the 16th overall pick in 2017.
DeCosta was determined to add more playmakers in the secondary and Wiggins fell to them in the first round. He was confident he could add a cornerback who could make an immediate impact.
“[There are] some players who can come in right away and probably compete to start for us,” DeCosta said in his pre-draft press conference. “We would love to add a talented corner at some point in the draft whether that’s first round or second round or third round, whatever that might be – a talented player who can help us. That’s a position, as you all know, that typically, you never have enough due to injuries and different things – guys will break down through the course of the season. Our depth has always been tested in the secondary.
“This year was no exception, and we were blessed to have some guys, like for instance Ronald Darby, to come in and really help us. So, yes, if we have a chance to draft a corner this year, you can count on us doing that.”
The Ravens still need to add an offensive tackle and a wide receiver and will look to fill those needs on Day 2 with the 62nd and 93rd overall picks.
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