The Baltimore Ravens added a cornerback in the first round of their 2024 NFL Draft class by taking Clemson star Nate Wiggins with the No. 30 overall pick.
However, the Ravens find themselves in need of drafting another cornerback on the outside, and that could lead them to selecting the same position in back-to-back first rounds.
Sportsnaut writer Matt Johnson recently conducted a mock draft where the Ravens took Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas with the No. 27 overall pick.
“Even if he wasn’t an impending free agent, the Baltimore Ravens needed to replace outside cornerback Brandon Stephens,” Johnson writes.
“After all, he’s the only weakness in Baltimore’s secondary. Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas stood out at the Senior Bowl, showcasing great physicality and movement at 6-foot-1. He complements Nate Wiggins nicely and would also really benefit from being mentored by Marlon Humphrey. If he lands in Baltimore, the Ravens can have a top-five defense in 2025.”
The Ravens will look at replacing Stephens first in free agency because most teams don’t like to draft the same position two years in a row. However, the Ravens won’t let that stop them from taking the player that they want to take.
Considering the fact that Wiggins projects more as a slot cornerback and Thomas on the outside, the Ravens can justify taking both of them and eventually having both of them in the starting lineup alongside Marlon Humphrey.
That being said, the Ravens could look towards 2024 fourth-round pick T.J. Tampa to fill in Stephens’ role, but Baltimore will evaluate and compare this year’s cornerbacks to who it has on the roster and its options in free agency.
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is set for Thursday, April 24 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
