Nate Wiggins Could be Looking at Year 3 Jump

Risers: A Series on Ravens Who We Suspect Could Take a Step Up in 2026

It wasn’t quite a dreaded “sophomore slump,” but the second year for former first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins wasn’t quite what many Ravens fans expected after his brilliant rookie campaign.

Starting 17 games after six starts his rookie campaign, Wiggins was thrown more into the proverbial fire after a rookie season in which he was eased into the rotation a bit. The increased exposure resulted in, well, Wigging being exposed a bit more at times. His overall PFF score dipped from 70.7 his rookie year to 63.8 his second season, with his coverage grade, specifically, dropping from 68.3 to 62.8.  We’ll get into those numbers a little more in a minute, but it’s generally not good to see your score fall from the first year to the second. You’d expect improvement with a full offseason of work.

But, let’s dive into those numbers for just a moment. Looking at it game-by-game, Wiggins was inconsistent, to say the least. His total grade was weighed down by some truly dreadful appearances — things we just didn’t see his rookie year. He had an awful 32.6 mark against the Dolphins in a nationally-televised game, and another woeful national game against the Packers in Week 17 when he posted a 44.1 score.

But it’s important to note that he had two good games against the Steelers, including a terrific season finale when he scored a season-high 83.6, and was lockdown against Cleveland (I know — Cleveland) with an 80.9 mark in Week 2.

Obviously, PFF scores don’t tell the whole story. But anyone who watched Wiggins this past season recognizes that it was a dizzying array of good and not-so-good performances.

And I don’t care.

Wiggins’ talent is obvious. He is long and fast and smooth and plays with a ton of confidence, and that is a combination that typically bodes well for cornerbacks. Like some others on that side of the ball, he will be a fascinating watch this season under a new coaching staff, with new designs on both the back end and pass-rush.

Wiggins has the look of a potential ball hawk, as well. He jumped from one pick his initial season to three last year, and with his game-changing speed and athleticism, he can make something happen with those — witness his 61-yard pick-and-return last year in that aforementioned Browns game.

There’s a lot to like about Wiggins heading into his third season, even if it got bumpier than expected last year. Look for him to make the jump this year.

See also: Risers – Roger Rosengarten

Rosengarten Ready to Establish Himself Amongst League’s Best

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