BREAKING: Ravens Has Suspended New Draft Pick Over Reported…read more

BREAKING: Ravens Has Suspended New Draft Pick Over Reported…read more

Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta understands the allure of trading down in the NFL draft to acquire additional picks, but for him, the value lay in cornerback Nate Wiggins.

Despite receiving eight trade offers from teams eager to move up, the Ravens ultimately declined and stuck with their original plan, selecting Wiggins with the No. 30 pick in the first round, as reported by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

DeCosta revealed that Wiggins had been a priority target for the Ravens early in the draft process, and they were pleasantly surprised when he remained available after the first 29 picks. It was an easy decision for them to make.

“For us, it was always, ‘If Nate [is] there, we [are] going to pick,’” DeCosta emphasized. “In our opinion, [he’s] a guy that can be a true shutdown-type corner.”

Wiggins, a standout performer at Clemson and First-Team All-ACC selection last season, showcased his exceptional speed at the Combine. However, some questioned whether his slender frame, standing at 6-foot-1 and 173 pounds, would be a disadvantage in the NFL. Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, however, quickly dispelled any doubts.

“On tape, I didn’t see anything about him being undersized as anything that we critiqued,” Orr asserted. “He flew up, set the edge in the run game, played physical with receivers at the line of scrimmage, came up, tackled, getting the ball off people. So he played like a Raven. We have no concerns about that at all.”

Had the Ravens harbored any reservations, they would have entertained the trade offers and moved down in the draft. But with Wiggins still on the board, they were resolute in their decision to stay put.