© Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports
Watch: Clemson Coach Predicts Ravens Draft Pick
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney had a hunch that cornerback Nate Wiggins going to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has been around the block for a while, seeing dozens of his former players head to the NFL. The list continued on Thursday night when cornerback Nate Wiggins was drafted No. 30 overall by the Baltimore Ravens.
Swinney was with Wiggins at his draft party on Thursday night, and he gave his crystal ball thoughts on camera.
"I think if he's there at 30, the Ravens will definitely take him," Swinney said before the pick.
Swinney was also very complimentary of the Ravens when hugging his former player, telling him that he was "going to a great place."
Wiggins is just the second player in Clemson history to be drafted by the Ravens, joining his former teammate Trenton Simpson, a linebacker drafted in the third round of last year's draft.
While Simpson played just a minor role for last year's defense, the team is extremely high on him and anticipates a bigger workload in the upcoming season. Perhaps Simpson's development is part of the reason why the Ravens are comfortable with taking Wiggins.
The Ravens can take a similar approach with Wiggins that they have with Simpson. He's only 20 years old, which means he still has a lot of growing to do. He can sit behind the veterans and play big snaps only in case of injury, learning how to become a pro. That way, when his time eventually comes, he will be ready to prove why the Ravens spent a first-round draft pick on him.
