The Baltimore Ravens had a star-studded squad during the 2024 season, with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry headlining a 12-5 campaign.
They made some key additions in the offseason before, which led to a strong regular season, though the club fell short in the playoffs once again.
Jackson and Henry took Baltimore to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, where they suffered a heartbreaking 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
While the Ravens didn't meet their expectation of winning a Super Bowl -- which went to the Philadelphia Eagles, who dominated the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game -- they had quite a few bright spots.
The squad's secondary was poor. They allowed many big plays and opposing quarterbacks had a field day against the Ravens. Still, rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins was superb during his inaugural NFL campaign.
The Clemson product had a shaky start to his season, though he picked up form in the latter half of the campaign. He is the first to admit that pass interference penalties were an issue early on.
“Early on, there were a lot of PIs (pass interference penalties),” Wiggins said. “But as the season went on, I got better. Now, I feel comfortable heading into my second year, and I’m ready to go.”
For a Ravens secondary looking to make a statement next season, Wiggins' building off a successful rookie season will be crucial, and he's ready for it.
“I think I proved what I can do,” Wiggins said. “I showed my cover skills, and I feel like I can match up with anybody in the league now.”
In 15 games played, Wiggins had 33 tackles and 13 pass breakups with an interception -- his lone pick of the season -- coming in Week 18.
“I developed tremendously,” Wiggins said. “I’m stronger, and I don’t feel like I’m getting pushed around like people thought I would.”
A leap from Wiggins could be tremendous for the Ravens heading into year two, as they need significant help in the secondary.
