Speaker 1: Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass podcast. Today we had
Speaker 1: a chance to meet Ravens' first round pick Nate Wiggins
Speaker 1: out of Clemson. He arrived in Baltimore after getting selected
Speaker 1: at pick number thirty on Thursday night. He's fired up
Speaker 1: to be here in Baltimore and he had a chance
Speaker 1: to meet with the media alongside defensive coordinator Zach Prior
Speaker 1: and secondary coach Chris.
Speaker 2: HEWITTT appreciate you guys coming, man, I mean, obviously you
Speaker 2: can see the smile on our face. This is a
Speaker 2: great day to be a Raven. Obviously, last night we
Speaker 2: drafted Nate Wiggins, who we obviously believe is the best
Speaker 2: corner in the draft, not only one of the best
Speaker 2: corner but one of the best defensive players overall. Man,
Speaker 2: so early in this process, you could ask Nate when
Speaker 2: he came on his thirty visit, I was like, man,
Speaker 2: I don't know if you're gonna be here at thirty,
Speaker 2: but if you are, I'm gonna make sure that I
Speaker 2: fight on the table for you. And obviously was able
Speaker 2: to get him. Eric and the personnel staff they did
Speaker 2: a great job and we was able to get him.
Speaker 2: But just speaking about Nate, I mean he's tall, he's fast,
Speaker 2: he's athletic, plays hard, plays physical, plays like a raven.
Speaker 2: But what stood out to me the most is man
Speaker 2: in the big time games, at the big time moments.
Speaker 2: You're talking about third down, fourth down, two minutes in
Speaker 2: the game, in the half, whenever the ball came his way,
Speaker 2: he made the play man. So we're excited to bring
Speaker 2: him in part of our organization, part of our defense.
Speaker 2: Expect great things out of him. I know he's hungry,
Speaker 2: he plays with a little edge, which we like. And
Speaker 2: like I said, I can't thank everybody enough for coming
Speaker 2: and it's congratulations of Nate.
Speaker 3: Man were happy to hear.
Speaker 4: First of all.
Speaker 5: Eric Ozzy Hard, Missus Bashatti and the rest of the
Speaker 5: the scouting department because there's a lot of a lot
Speaker 5: of things that going along with the draft process and
Speaker 5: identifying guys, and then they had identified Nick in the process,
Speaker 5: and you know, all I had to do was just
Speaker 5: just go ahead and just turn on the tape. And
Speaker 5: it was just like as soon as you turn on
Speaker 5: the tape, you're ready to do. As soon as you
Speaker 5: turn on tape, you're just like dog, look at this guy.
Speaker 5: Go I mean, the guy's a blur on the field,
Speaker 5: and just about all the things that that Zach talked
Speaker 5: about is whenever it was time for a guy to
Speaker 5: make a play, this guy was making plays all over
Speaker 5: the field. And there's two plays that that that stand
Speaker 5: out to me the most. Those two plays when you're
Speaker 5: running that kid down that they're running back from North Carolina,
Speaker 5: and the other one was Miami Okay runs all the
Speaker 5: way down, tracks a guy down at the at the
Speaker 5: end zone and knocks the ball out on the field.
Speaker 5: Those are like game changing plays and those are the
Speaker 5: kind of play players that we we look for. So
Speaker 5: a guy like Nate, he's gonna fit bread in our organization.
Speaker 5: He's gonna be a guy that's gonna being able to
Speaker 5: make some great plays for us and and fit in
Speaker 5: within our defense and and take us to that next
Speaker 5: level that we're looking for.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I'm I'm happy to be here. Like
Speaker 3: like they said, I mean, I'm a passionate player. I
Speaker 3: mean I love the game of football. So I mean
Speaker 3: that's why I feel like it's a I'm I'm the
Speaker 3: best player to be here cause I feel like, uh, yeah,
Speaker 3: this program, this organization is about passing, winning and that's
Speaker 3: all I'm that's all I don't care about. That's all
Speaker 3: I'm come here to do. I'm in the winning. I'm
Speaker 3: able to get the job done. So that's what we're
Speaker 3: gonna do.
Speaker 6: Questions, Hey, uh, you know, obviously a lot of people
Speaker 6: point about your coming to the NFL, the talking about
Speaker 6: the speed of the game.
Speaker 7: Obviously you're wanting the fast players out there.
Speaker 5: What do you think for you v the biggest jos
Speaker 5: spent community NFL.
Speaker 1: Uh?
Speaker 3: Really just probably just my time having more time.
Speaker 6: Yeah, and what are the uh.
Speaker 7: What the last twenty four hour what's at least I
Speaker 7: guess the last twelve hours been like uh, waiting for
Speaker 7: your name to be called and then shuffling and back
Speaker 7: here to Baltimore and coming back into this facility.
Speaker 8: Know ain't gonna be part of the future here.
Speaker 3: Uh, I mean it's been crazy. I mean I've been
Speaker 3: having up and down moments. Uh in the draft the
Speaker 3: draft probably it was crazy, but I mean, uh, I'm
Speaker 3: here now, so I'm about to make everybody pay You
Speaker 3: who looked over me?
Speaker 6: Hey, you going out going?
Speaker 9: You know?
Speaker 3: Patter heard you want to go? Was hid and Kennedy?
Speaker 6: Is there any extra motivation? Forty to use the passed
Speaker 6: on you.
Speaker 3: Then they gonna see like while they passed up, I
Speaker 3: don't know, Like I don't they gonna see Zach.
Speaker 4: You know, said you when you had conversations with them,
Speaker 4: that you're here at thirty.
Speaker 5: Great, like kind of not thinking it was going to happen.
Speaker 1: You'd all play out last night and to realize it's
Speaker 1: getting closer and closer to depend what's going through your
Speaker 1: mind that you couldn't actually.
Speaker 3: It was, it was. It was kind of mixed motions.
Speaker 2: First thing, I was like, man, I hope nobody else
Speaker 2: pick him before before it gets to us. But it
Speaker 2: was great. Just started getting excited because we knew he
Speaker 2: was our guy, and like like Chris talked about, man,
Speaker 2: just seeing that process of the whole scouting department led
Speaker 2: by Eric and Ozzy, just seeing those guys work and
Speaker 2: and seeing the whole process play out where Nate was
Speaker 2: falling to us and when we knew we we we
Speaker 2: knew we had a chance to get him. You see
Speaker 2: how fast the pit got turned in it wa It
Speaker 2: was it was joy in the in the in the
Speaker 2: draft room, and we were so excited. Man, we felt
Speaker 2: like we got best defensive player in.
Speaker 3: The draft together, I think it's coming along well.
Speaker 2: I mean, we just added, like we said we would,
Speaker 2: think it's uh, one of the top defensive players in
Speaker 2: the draft to our defense man. Obviously, we signed Beaks
Speaker 2: back uh early offseason and made some other free agent
Speaker 2: signings as well. But Uh, I think it's coming along.
Speaker 3: Well.
Speaker 2: He's gonna be a a great addition to our s
Speaker 2: uh A talented secondary and uh he's just gonna make
Speaker 2: us better.
Speaker 5: That Eric said he lost some sleep or were going
Speaker 5: with a line or quarterback.
Speaker 2: Of positions in need, I guess what were those conversations like,
Speaker 2: when or a side getting someone in.
Speaker 9: Here after all the guys you laws.
Speaker 3: Man.
Speaker 2: I mean, shoot, I was I only watched the defensive players,
Speaker 2: so I only know about the cornerbacks. So I mean,
Speaker 2: if we got if we took our offensive lineman and
Speaker 2: it was gonna help our team, that would be great.
Speaker 2: But I knew that Nate Wiggins was a guy that
Speaker 2: was gonna be a great addition for us, so I
Speaker 2: was just like, Hey, if Nate's there, let's get him.
Speaker 2: And and it shaked out in our favor, So we're
Speaker 2: happy that it played out the way it did.
Speaker 1: Waits, you know, to make it for us to time
Speaker 1: run out and all that time to yester that he
Speaker 1: turned in right away.
Speaker 8: Can you kind of taste in the room yesterday and
Speaker 8: they turned that geta.
Speaker 2: And yeah, I mean, I mean he we kind of knew.
Speaker 2: He knew that if Nate was there, that was a
Speaker 2: guy who's gonna take. Like I think he talked about
Speaker 2: it last night. It was a lot of phone calls,
Speaker 2: a lot of a lot of stuff going on, and
Speaker 2: he was just saying that if our guys there, we're
Speaker 2: taking him. And Nate was our guy. So soon as
Speaker 2: soon as it was our time to go up and
Speaker 2: Nate was still on their board, it was time to
Speaker 2: make that phone call. And and and you see it
Speaker 2: was no hesitation. So that's how bad we know we
Speaker 2: wanted him. And I think that showed.
Speaker 6: I think maybe you played most of his snaps last
Speaker 6: year man coverage, you know, in his word, the NFL
Speaker 6: work to see a lot of stuff, a lot of
Speaker 6: high and action stuff.
Speaker 3: What is the value of the guy if you do
Speaker 3: your shutdown man corner, when you guys need a call.
Speaker 5: On someone like that, say that one more time.
Speaker 7: What is the value of having a guy who can
Speaker 7: get shut down in a corner when you got.
Speaker 5: Call on someone like that, Well, I mean, first of all,
Speaker 5: it's the guy that's as talented as this guy is,
Speaker 5: it doesn't matter for playing zone man or whatever it is.
Speaker 5: He's he's extremely talented. And the other part about it
Speaker 5: is he's got a high football IQ as well. You know,
Speaker 5: going through the whole process. You know, when we were
Speaker 5: at the we're at the combine. I think I stopped
Speaker 5: the meeting like at three minutes, and it was like
Speaker 5: it didn't even matter. It was like it was over.
Speaker 5: It was like the guy was so smart, he was uh,
Speaker 5: he had all athletic ability, all all those things were given.
Speaker 5: It was all about what's in between the years. That's
Speaker 5: all the things that I really need to know. So
Speaker 5: as far as him having any issues or anything, I'm
Speaker 5: not worried about that. We're gonna get this guy on
Speaker 5: the field and you're gonna see a great player from
Speaker 5: beers to come.
Speaker 4: How How old were you and and who was it
Speaker 4: who first put you cornerback? And did you sort of
Speaker 4: know right away this is this is where I'm along.
Speaker 3: Uh, I think it was my ninth grade year in
Speaker 3: the front right of my mom my, Dad. I didn't
Speaker 3: really want to play cornerback. I want to play receiver.
Speaker 3: But it was like, I mean, it's a lot of
Speaker 3: receivers that's fast. I mean, it's not that many cornerbacks
Speaker 3: tall that could do what I can do. So I
Speaker 3: just started training in it and pay it off.
Speaker 8: Then we saw Trenton Simpson welcoming to the facility.
Speaker 10: What did he tell you about the organization.
Speaker 9: That you're joining?
Speaker 3: He was really just like it's a passion or just
Speaker 3: like Clemson. Uh, it's like is a give out for
Speaker 3: Clemson vibe, and I mean it's nice home. So I'm
Speaker 3: happy to be here.
Speaker 8: Dad, You're sit there and wait until may be called.
Speaker 4: The teams are gonna be pass Did you hap in
Speaker 4: the back of your mind there's no way you were
Speaker 4: getting past thirty because you were confident if you were
Speaker 4: still in the Ravens take care.
Speaker 3: Uh nah. Actually when I was when they called me,
Speaker 3: I was in the bathroom. I was mad. I was mad.
Speaker 3: I was in I see my for ring and everything.
Speaker 3: Just wait, you know, it was crazy. Chris.
Speaker 10: Uh initial thoughts to twelve hours. But what do you
Speaker 10: see as as Nate's role in this defense? With the
Speaker 10: depth of corner that you already have and the town
Speaker 10: already hit on the.
Speaker 5: Roster me first of all, like with with the guys
Speaker 5: that we have in our room, it's you know, all
Speaker 5: our guys are they're they're truly interchangeable. Trying to get
Speaker 5: the best guys on the field and you know whatever
Speaker 5: that that that position is or how we get them
Speaker 5: on the field, That's what it's all about. Just trying
Speaker 5: to get the best players on the field and getting
Speaker 5: the best the best five or six guys on on
Speaker 5: the back end to play and play as one. You
Speaker 5: worried about it, I'm not worried about it.
Speaker 6: Put on about maybe ten pounds and combine between the
Speaker 6: combine and your pro day? How did you go about
Speaker 6: doing that? And do you have like an idea? Weed
Speaker 6: you kind of like that too.
Speaker 3: I mean I would never like one seventy I just
Speaker 3: ain't eat it come by. Yeah. So it was just
Speaker 3: log just longful waight.
Speaker 1: Uh.
Speaker 3: I just had the game weight back and eating right.
Speaker 8: So hey that I think one matchup that people are
Speaker 8: looking forward to is Unz Flowers to you guys that
Speaker 8: are very fast and fast feed. What do you remember
Speaker 8: about your matchup with him in college, and it's not
Speaker 8: a matchup you're looking forward to his shot back, iron
Speaker 8: sharpening iron.
Speaker 3: Uh, I remember, I mean who was going at it?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 3: In college?
Speaker 9: Uh?
Speaker 3: It was back and forth. Uh he kept he caught
Speaker 3: some passes and not to deflect some passes on him?
Speaker 3: So who was going back and forth? But I know, Uh,
Speaker 3: we're gonna get each other better now, So I mean
Speaker 3: it's gonna be It's gonna be good.
Speaker 4: He's the best receiver your face in college.
Speaker 3: Probably Jordan Addison.
Speaker 7: There's someone that you looked up to or patter in
Speaker 7: your game after.
Speaker 1: When you were growing up.
Speaker 3: I want say pattern, but like a J.
Speaker 8: Jrell.
Speaker 3: He put a lot of like chips in my ear.
Speaker 3: He talked to me a lot. So can you tell
Speaker 3: us what he needs to have?
Speaker 8: Your family here and the impact that they've had on
Speaker 8: your life and career.
Speaker 3: Man, it means a lot just knowing where we're coming from.
Speaker 3: I mean a lot of folks don't make him have
Speaker 3: come from. So I mean it means a lot.
Speaker 8: Until you see so many extended plays, Nate's ability to
Speaker 8: really mirror the receiver this quick feet, how much did
Speaker 8: that play into how much he really liked him.
Speaker 5: That didn't have anything to do with it, because you know,
Speaker 5: it's it's all about the fit, and he has all
Speaker 5: the abilities and all those things, but it's it's more
Speaker 5: about the fit and how he how he plays the game,
Speaker 5: how he approaches the game. It matches what we do
Speaker 5: in Baltimore and how how how our organization, how our defense.
Speaker 5: His mentality is the same. So the extended plays and
Speaker 5: all those things, that's just another extension about how we think.
Speaker 5: It doesn't matter how long, how long is gonna the
Speaker 5: game is gonna be, where the game is gonna be,
Speaker 5: We's gonna fight to the end and at the end
Speaker 5: of the play, you know, it is what it is.
Speaker 5: We're gonna compete at every time. So that's what it's
Speaker 5: all about. It's about what's in between the years and
Speaker 5: how this kid plays and you see that on tape
Speaker 5: and how he talks and then I mean, it's just
Speaker 5: what he is.
Speaker 1: Hey.
Speaker 9: During the Combine PRODS facility visits, you meet a lot
Speaker 9: of people love Scouts. What about the Ravens leadership stood
Speaker 9: out when you've got a chance to meet with them,
Speaker 9: both of the Combine as well as you're at your facility.
Speaker 3: It was really just different for real. I mean they
Speaker 3: let me be myself. I ain't really have no critiques
Speaker 3: about it for real, So I mean I just like
Speaker 3: to be myself for I don't really like folks like
Speaker 3: you feel me. So I feel like I fit perfect here.
Speaker 3: I feel like God had a plan, And yeah he did.
Speaker 4: You see the Marld Humphrey predicted that they would pick
Speaker 4: you like a couple of hours before they did, and
Speaker 4: said that he thought you would be the best fits.
Speaker 4: So I guess if you've heard from Maryland or any
Speaker 4: other guys in the secondary.
Speaker 3: Actually I haven't. I ain't seen it. I ain't seen
Speaker 3: it yet.
Speaker 6: Maybe a lot about to upgrading where you come from.
Speaker 8: Uh, was there an easy or hard adjustment to uh when.
Speaker 3: You got to Clinston's. Uh, it was a hard adjustment.
Speaker 3: There was a hard adjustment, just uh uh just trying
Speaker 3: to adjust to you know, the different communities.
Speaker 10: Did you tell us about the dependent on your change
Speaker 10: in back and stuff?
Speaker 3: Oh it's just uh a Jesus face. I mean, y'all
Speaker 3: put your face in faith from God.
Speaker 6: So yeah, they And I think I've read somewhere about
Speaker 6: you writing a story or book or something about that
Speaker 6: wanting to be a quarterback in the NFL in like
Speaker 6: fifth grade? What sort of uh motivated you to do that?
Speaker 6: And you do the confidence to think that you could
Speaker 6: get to that.
Speaker 3: Uh I used to play quarterback, uh back in the day,
Speaker 3: you know, Yeah, so uh I thought I was gonna
Speaker 3: be Cam Newton turns out cornerback, so I have other plans.
Speaker 3: Do one more, Kyle.
Speaker 10: One of the few critiques of this game has been
Speaker 10: from Hunts just the little undersize. What about this game
Speaker 10: and tape and everything makes that any consequential?
Speaker 2: From you guys, I mean he comes up and tackles,
Speaker 2: he comes up, he hits, he plays physical, and I
Speaker 2: mean he's only twenty years old. Like alsicnesiology major. I
Speaker 2: mean they say, you men full of men don't stop
Speaker 2: growing to like twenty seven years old.
Speaker 3: So he got a lot of time to grow.
Speaker 2: We got a great strength staff, nutritionness and everything like that.
Speaker 2: But on tape you I didn't see anything about him
Speaker 2: being undersized as anything that we critique. I mean, he
Speaker 2: flew up, set the edge in the run game, played
Speaker 2: physical with receivers at the line of scrimmage, came up, tackled,
Speaker 2: getting the ball off people, so he played like a
Speaker 2: Raven so we have no concerns about that at all.
Speaker 1: So it's great to have Nate here in Baltimore and
Speaker 1: it's gonna be an exciting weekend as rounds two and
Speaker 1: three or Friday night, and the the rest of the
Speaker 1: draft is on Saturday. Make sure you are subscribed to
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Speaker 1: as we continue to break down everything that is happening
Speaker 1: over the course of this weekend. Thank you for listening.
Speaker 1: We'll talk with you again soon.