Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins is having no trouble making a strong first impression.
On the second day of training camp, Wiggins wrestled a pass away from wide receiver Sean Ryan for an interception. Then Wiggins turned on his 4.28 second speed in the 40-yard dash and raced toward the end zone, running directly toward the line of players and coaches who were watching.
Head Coach John Harbaugh felt the breeze as Wiggins whizzed by.
"I was just happy that he didn't hit me and ran around, so that was nice," Harbaugh said.
"But he was coming very fast."
It takes a fast learner to reach the NFL by age 20. That's what Wiggins has done. Not only is he the Ravens' first-round pick, but he's also the youngest player on their roster.
Assistant Head Coach/Pass Game Coordinator Chris Hewitt knew Wiggins had talent when the Ravens drafted him. However, Hewitt has also learned about Wiggins' supreme confidence, which will help his chances to become an impact rookie.
"He is extremely competitive, more competitive than I thought that he was," Hewitt said. "He's got the whole mentality; he's got the whole thing. He's still a young guy. This guy is only 20 years old. He's not even old enough to drink yet. He's still learning how to be in the NFL, but his competitiveness is the thing that really sticks out to me."
Wiggins has already made teammates take notice, earning the nickname "Nasty Nate" from three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Though he's modest and soft spoken, Wiggins doesn't mind praise from a cornerback as talented as Humphrey.
"I play nasty defense, I guess," Wiggins said with a laugh. "That's his nickname for me. He wanted me to tell you all that's my nickname. It's not official for me yet, I don't know. It might get official."
As good as Wiggins has been, Hewitt wants to make sure he stays focused. And he wants to make it clear that he's not calling him "Nasty Nate."
"His name is Deuce. He's No. 2," Hewitt said.
However, it's clear Wiggins isn't backing down from anyone he covers. At 6-foot-1 with a long wingspan and excellent leaping ability, Wiggins has the talent and tenacity to match up with a wide variety of receivers. His feisty attitude has been on display, with plenty of trash talk between Wiggins and the Ravens' targets during training camp.
"I talk a lot," Wiggins said. "That's just a part of my game. I feel like that brings me more confidence in my game, just talking to the receiver and getting into his head.
"Some [of] the receivers don't talk, some receivers try to talk back. It all depends on who the receiver is. Me and 'Tez' (Devontez Walker) go all the way back to college – Zay Flowers, [Rashod] Bateman, all the receivers, 'Nelly' [Nelson Agholor]. It's just good competition, so we're getting each other better."
It remains to be seen how the Ravens deploy Wiggins in their stacked cornerback rotation that is led by Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, and nickel corner Arthur Maulet. The Ravens are also loaded at safety led by All-Pro Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams, and newly acquired Eddie Jackson.
The better Wiggins plays, the more reps he'll earn, and he's looking forward to the action. At Clemson, opposing quarterbacks often shied away from throwing toward him, but as a rookie corner he'll be tested. Wiggins sounds happy about that possibility. He's young, but he's also confident.
"It's a good thing that the ball is getting passed my way," Wiggins said. "I can better work on my technique, getting my eyes right in front of the ball and playing the ball better.
"Football is just going [to] be football. … It's really a job now."
