Baltimore Beatdown
The first-round cornerback and second-round offensive tackle established themselves at their respective positions.
The Baltimore Ravens won 10-plus games for the third year in a row and claimed back-to-back AFC North titles for the first time since 2019 this past season. They did so with meaningful contributions from several members of their 2024 rookie class that included nine draft picks, eight of which made the final roster and seven saw action in at least four games.
Their first two selections played prominent roles for the vast majority of the season while several of their Day 3 picks and their lone undrafted free agent who spent the year on the active roster played predominantly on special teams.
Sixth-round quarterback Devin Leary was the only draft pick who didn’t make the final cut after a lackluster preseason and training camp where he couldn’t beat out longtime NFL journeyman Josh Johnson to serve as the primary backup to Lamar Jackson. Here is how the rest of Baltimore’s first-year players fared in their inaugural season in the league.
Following the Ravens’ selection of the former Clemson standout, general manager Eric DeCosta said he believed they got the “best cover corner in the draft” in his opinion and Wiggins didn’t disappoint. He went the entire regular season without giving up a touchdown while only giving up 34 catches, breaking up 13 and was one of only three cornerbacks to hold the opposing quarterback to a completion percentage of under 50% when targeted this season with a mark of 47.8 % per NextGen Stats. Wiggins had impressive performances against some of the best wide receivers in the league including triple crown winner Ja’Marr Chase, forcing a fumble against Ceedee Lamb and locking up fellow first-round rookie standout Malik Nabers.
A knock on Wiggins coming out of college was his slight frame but that didn’t stop him from playing with tremendous physicality when it came to coming downhill to limit yards after catch and assist in run support. He struggled with being too grabby at the beginning of the season which is common for players at his position making the transition from college to the professional level. Still, he learned and showed he could be a lockdown corner with proper technique in addition to rare athleticism. Wiggins didn’t give up his first touchdown in coverage until his playoff debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers when a lack of discipline led to him giving up a score. However, before he let anyone else find the end zone against him, he scored his first career touchdown on his first interception.
Wiggins and two-time First Team All Pro veteran Marlon Humphrey give the Ravens one of the elite cornerback duos in the league. They both rank in the top five of lowest opposing passer ratings allowed among corners with a minimum of 400 coverage snaps per NextGen Stats. Humphrey ranked second with a mark of 58.5 and Wiggins came in fourth with a mark of 59.7....
