Wiggins, Stephens, Harbaugh & Mallory: Ravens OTA Practice 5/30 Press Conferences

Welcome into the Ravens Press Past podcast. It is Thursday, May thirtieth. The Ravens held another open session of organized team activities and after practice, we also got a chance to hear from some of the guys in the secondary. So let's kick things off with first round cornerback Nate wiggts.

What's been the.

Biggest adjustment from rookie camp to now having the vatsine and going against them every day?

Uh?

Probably just I could say, uh, just uh the tempo temple of the game for real, just to speak, Uh, just to just going fast you know college, I mean you just go go with the float.

It is.

It's quick, everything fast, so you got to get get it shit.

Yeah, just tempo.

What you say, is the biggest thing you've learned so far in you're you know, rule over a month that's getting drafted.

What I learned, Uh, my biggest thing I can learned probably just my time management. Uh is just everything and the bit lea so just job. So I just gotta be here, be ready to go every day.

Brandon was just saying he is trying to take more of a leadership role even though he's thinks he's a young ens. So I guess what has it been like working with him? What have you learned from him so far?

Uh?

It been it been good. You know, he'd been here uh this a couple of years, so it's been good just learning under him.

He just teaches me the defense.

Uh, teaches me how to live for eight teach me how to eat. So it's been. It been good.

Have you seen him plays or anything from this.

Game that you like?

Kind of uh, just playing like a raven, being physical. I mean that's uh what what we describe on here.

So, I mean, seems like you've had a lot of matchups with Tez Walker. Just, uh, how's that been going?

And practices.

It kind of fun to reunite that I know you met in college.

Also, Yeah, it been, it been fun. I mean we both getting better every day, so I mean, yeah, it's it been.

It been fun.

Heard you're working on your technique a lot. I mean obviously, especially at the line of screwage. What do you think is really to you about you know, before the season, I was getting your technique down at the line of scream.

Counity player, just getting hands on early. Uh, just not relying on my speed as much as I used to. Do in college or just getting hand on beating receivers up.

You know, coaches were talking about your recovery speed and and how you can make up if if something goes wrong. But is is that a different margin of error even in the these OTA's you sense, Hey, it's harder to recover if if something goes wrong in coverage.

Uh, I I really don't be uh like tryna get in recovery. Know I've been trying to like stay in front of the receiver.

So uh it not.

It haven't been like a.

Lot of recovery going on.

So now you spend the most difficulty sleeper to cover cause just so Farner Uh probably bake me. Just he's just shifty, a lot of a lot of quickness in.

The in the route.

So if you have the most fun guard most fun, uh probably they flower.

Yeah, what what makes you say that? Why is why is the the most.

Fun to cover? H?

Just cause we miss and me like, uh we met up in college, so like we better know how like you know, we know we we took we both ask. So it's just it's just fun to compete.

Nate.

There's been an assistant theme of how you are in the meeting room.

As you question you studying, can you elaborate more on your football IQ? In that side of me that you wanting to constantly study.

Or learn oryth uh J, I just know, uh I wanna play. So uh, I just know in in a position I wanna I wanna be in. I just I know, I know I gotta learn it, so it don't matter, like if it's corner nickel safety, I wanna play. So I just tried to get to know everything, everybody's job y and then I know it.

College confidence was a big part of your game. How would you try to carry that with you to this best level?

Uh?

I don't think it's left. I think it's still there. I think my comfort is still big. Just just part of my game. So I just really transferred from college to here.

I knew Zacor was a big fan of you. Okay, so that thy drafted you. What is it gu been like going from getting to know him fa the drop process to having MSS your coach.

Uh it's uh, it's it's exciting. Like he just got a lot of energy. Uh he w uh I in every meeting at the clod in the meeting, he got energy. So I I feel like he he brings energy th to us.

So, yeah, any how do you manage expectations of yourself?

Both it's a first round pick, but also it's one of the youngest.

Players in the fut Uh. I really don't look at it that way. I just look at it like I'm another player. I mean, uh yeah, I don't really look at it like I'm the youngest. I don't really you ain't. Don't ever hear me say it like I s use that excuse cause I'm here now. I think I'm ready for it. So, uh, I just play play play ball and.

You talk about getting your hands on wide receivers the earlier in rounds. Is there any other aspect of your game that coaches are really working on you at? Uh?

Probably uh J just just tryna just not getting a recovery phase like you said that the recovery phrase and that going going into like getting hands on early.

Yeah.

I think you last talk to you before the schedule came out.

Is there any I know for a long ways or way?

But is there any excitement for you a reformed getting defending champs?

Uh?

Yeah, I mean it's a long like you said, it's a long way, but yeah, we got. We're looking for it too. I'm looking forward to playing long. Yeah, I'm ready for it. We're gonna be ready. I feel like I'm gonna be ready for us.

So we also talked with cornerback Brandon Stevens. He had a breakout season last year, established himself as a starting cornerback, and he talked today about what's next for him in his progression.

Brandon, you really, I mean obviously it's starting kind of between positions of being many quarterbacks who.

Really solidify yourself as as a really strong cover guy in this league. What what's kind of did you you get his season as kind of keeping that repetition going, kind of maintaining the standard, you're looking to elevate it in some way.

Yeah, I think the you know, the mindset going into to any year every year is to you know, elevate the standard, you know, take it up a notch.

Uh.

You know last year, you know, nobody cares about last year anymore. So you know, I I gotta continue to prove myself each and every day, you know, and and earn the right you know once again, it's to start.

How does it feel to be like an established guy, especially on a day like today when you don't have any of the other returning defensive bactments for Marlan, not thing. So how does it feel look different out there?

Yeah?

I mean, you know, like you said, some of the guys aren't here. Uh, so you know it's it's my job as well as some of the other best you know, take charge, take lead, uh, lead the guys to these practices, especially the young guys who got a lot of young guys, you know, just to show them the way, right.

And I remember when you got drafted and they were play corner back to college, but they identified you as uh on an NFL safety at the time we got draft. We saw you got airplane safety last spring, and then of course went back to corner. You know, how did that conversation about them last spring? Like, hey, you know back to corner?

When what do you think of that? How does that all take place? Yeah?

It uh just doing what I'm what I what I was asked to do, you know, and uh, you know obviously any guy, every guy wants to be on the field. So where with the opportunities that you know, you'll you'll take that opportunity.

Uh.

Should I have some safety reps?

Uh?

I think the first practice of the of this week out there, so uh, you know, I still got to stay on top of my safety stuff, you know, can't fall asleep with that.

But yeah, just doing what I'm asked to do.

And it does seem to.

Be kind of an opening in that area with Jeno Stone Gone. I know they like to use com Hamilton a variety of ways. Is have have there been any thing about you potentially being a.

Hobby road I haven't had talks about that.

You know, the coaches know, you know I I they can plug me in anywhere, you know, if you know need be.

But now we haven't had any conversation with that.

Then the this team is known for taking care developing, drafting, developing, taking.

Care of their own resigning.

Guys, you're at a stage of getting closer to the end of your contract. Have you voiced interest in extending with the team or has there.

Been any talks about that? You know?

Not not, not really, I'm kind of letting that part of side, you know, be handled by my by my agent. But yeah, personally I'm not you know, focused on that right now.

Brandon.

If your impressions of Zach Orr now stepping into defensive coordin roll and you know, any wrinkles he's playing.

Yeah, yeah, you know, Zach, he's he's been doing great man. He uh, you know, he brings that fire each and every day and we you know, he demands, you know, a lot from us. You know, he demands perfection, and so that's what we're chasing. You know, he says it every day. But yeah, he's he's doing a great job.

Talk about elevating every year. What are some of your goals for this season for you?

Yeah, man, just just dominating each and every game, you know, you know whoever you know I'm I'm covering for that week. You know, I want to dominate, you know, whoever it is. And so that's that's really just my goal, you know, and you know, come out at the end of the season, you know, being a top quarter in the corner in this league.

How much did last year's success, How much of a boost does that give you going into the spring that you know you can do it you play at that level with the best five.

Receivers, right, Yeah, it's uh, you know what once you know, get out there and get your feet wet, uh, you know, for you know, a season season long, you know, going into the next season, you know what to expect. You know, you've seen it, seen the different concepts, and so it just allows you to play faster, you know. And uh, you know, with a success last year, you know, it doesn't mean anything going into next year. You know, I've

Been there's been talking about reconfiguring the summer schedule, maybe eliminating ot is having a.

Longer ramp up to train and get you Do you like it the way it is or would you like to see it tinkered with a little better?

Man?

I'm uh, I like, I like you know, both scenarios. You know, obviously it'd be good to have a you know, a longer break and then once we're here, you know, get you know, get it going.

Uh.

But whichever way it goes, you know, I'm We'll all be ready for it.

Is there something to be said, especially since you've been with the team for years, There's something to be said about getting getting here in May in June and having connectivity with teammates or or or connect a few coaches.

Is there d does would it feel like a.

Long time if you were just away from January to to junior early July.

Yeah, I mean, if if it does go that way, obviously it'll be the first for for everybody, you know, so it it'll be out of the norm to be away for that long. But you know, you just gotta take the you know, on this upon yourself to you know, stay on top of you know, the playbook, stay on top of your technique, uh, stuff like that, and uh, you know, and be ready once once we get back.

And we know we know about the size and the speed of Nate Wiggins, but besides that, whether it be all off the field or some other aspect of his game, has there been anything about that rookie stands out cum Yeah.

Man, he's uh so you said the top top two things right there. His speed, His speed is crazy. Uh I'm I'm trying to get some of that myself.

But uh but.

Now he's he's doing a great job in the meeting rooms. Uh, you know, asking the right questions. You know, I always trying to learn, and you know, he he could tell he you know, he's he's kind of hard on himself, you know, but you you like to see that, you know, with with the young guys that as go it's go.

I I saw him on his phone a lot.

I ain't see him get to uh to Uh, I ain't seen any swings from.

Getting in and tamp uh TJ Tampa in this draft coming into the room. Both of highly regarded that obviously the staff And I guess did you watch the draft? Did you see them get drafted?

Yeah? I saw saw Yeah. What was the question?

I'm sorry, It's like, what what is it like for you having to highly regarded cornerbacks drafted and coming into the room with you guys.

No, Yeah, it's uh, you know, it's awesome, you know, having you know, guys that you know can come in and you know and can play. Uh. We know, we all know it's a competition out here, but uh, you know we we're trying to help each other, you know. Uh you know me, I me personally, I want everybody to to succeed, you know, and so just you know, build a camaradie with the guys, with the young guys and just helping them, you know, within this career.

You know, it's this minish all.

So Randy, you mentioned stepping into a leadership role and all the other vets is that something that you.

Embraced and feel like you're a part.

Of your next step.

Yeah, it definitely is.

Uh, you know, s some of the some of the guys you know call me, uh og and like that.

And I'm like, I'm I'm s.

I consider myself a a young and still you know, so uh but nah, it's it's you know, just just being able to you know, mentor those guys and you know, teach those guys. It's it's it's been awesome and you know, having you know, stepping into that leadership role is uh, you know something I expected myself as well as you know, other events.

What is it.

Important for you to be out here at voluntary as.

Yeah, uh yeah, I think it's just it's just important for me to just you know, stay y, just just stay on m consistent within my technique. You know, you know, I could be doing you know a lot of other things right now, but I you know, I choose to be here, you know, to to just stay consistent, you know, and uh, you know, not not lose a step.

Man.

Where does did you kind of clothe the most from most you know, last summer? Obviously you looked down at the safety than have the year you did at Corner.

Where do you think you got to throw him the.

Most, you know from that periodding through the course.

So he's gonna malp fo. Yeah.

I think the main thing is is, you know, playing faster, you know, you know, being more Yeah, just just playing fast and you know, seeing things before it happens and reacting, you know, uh t to the right things, you know, and that that comes with film study, that comes with being on the field, you know, and I experiencing it, you know myself. So uh, I think just being able to play fast, you know, it allows me to make more plays, I said New EV's.

Co coaching Doug Mallory.

I guess what's stood out to you black him as a communicator.

As a teacher.

Yeah, he uh he he's He's been awesome in meetings, you know, and it especially on the field, you know, he's uh kind of more with the safetyes and whatnots. So I'm not with him as much, but but I you know, I see him talking to guys all the time and you know, trying to help out where you can.

In addition to hearing from Stevens and Wiggins, we also talked with one of the coaches. Who's going to be coaching those guys up and that's new defensive backs coach Doug Mallory.

How you guys doing good?

Yeah, it's been exciting two months, three months. However long I've been here, I think one thing, I've always looked at this organization.

With a lot of respect.

You know, I've known the Harball family for a long time. Probably knew Jim and jack and Joni and Jackie a little bit better than John because I'd been with them at previous places. But you know, always had a lot of respect for John and certainly this program the success that they've had. So it's really nice to be here see how everything operates firsthand, and excited about this off season leading into the season. So with that opening up to any questions.

Unit that was so successful last season, how much do you try and carry over from last season?

How much new stuff are you hit news?

Well, you know a lot of that. Again, I wasn't here last year, so it's all new to me. You know, we've spent time going through all the cutups in the games from a year ago. You know, there's certainly some things that they did a lot of great things, but there's always areas that need improvement. We made a point

Always a better way to do it.

And you know, those guys kind of made that point early on when I was here. So we did a lot of research on things we could adjust and change and find a better way to do it.

You know about Kyle hanmos In before you came.

In, and.

So the first time I saw Kyle so I was in Atlanta when Kyle was coming out of high school. I didn't know anything about him coming out of high school. And then that year Notre Dame had a couple of safeties that were in the draft, and I knew the secondary coach at Notre Dame my name of Terry Joseph. He and I had worked together at LSU, and I called Terry to find out about you know, some of the older guys and just give me a little bit of insight on the guys that I was evaluating. He

Write up on.

He said, Doug, he's just a freshman. I was like, Wow, he's a pretty good player. By the time he's a senior. So I remember seeing him as freshman year. I didn't really have an opportunity to follow his career a whole lot. By the time he was coming out, we'd get let go in Atlanta and I was back at Michigan. But you know, I knew about him, you know, just seeing him firsthand here. He's extremely impressive. But I didn't realize

A guy is young, and he is close to his playing career. Is Zach and mean, you know, obviously sort of a unique perspective, you know, for someone who's a defensive player, what's what's some.

Of the things.

Yeah, that first of all, Zach is a very impressive person. He's a great man, and you know, just as a coach, I think what's unique is that here's a guy that's not only understands the system as part of putting this package together, but he also played in the firsthand, so he can see the scheme and the system through his eyes. He's been there, he's he's gone through the reads, he's gone through the progression, he's gone through the checks and the adjustment.

So that's unique.

I don't know if I've ever been around a guy as young as him that is mature and has the type of knowledge that he has with the system. So, you know, I've learned awful lot from him to this point. But he'll he'll do a great job.

Do you see him from na Wigan so far?

I think the first thing stands out, you know, extremely hard worker, smart, intelligent, h you know, you see him out here on the field. He's got great length and that's the thing. It's just hard to find corners that have that type of length and that can run like he runs, but he has a great balanced body control, change of direction. He's been real sticky in coverage. And you know, there's certainly a lot of things he's just like everyone else, a lot of areas that they need

A lot of you know, I mean you look out in the field, you see how how skinny need is and I'm sure they will change over over time. But there are other qualities that you think help him compete, even if he's not as.

Physically big as maybe some of the guys he's covering under it.

Yeah, I think speed is a speed and length help because you know, Chris is doing a great job of working with him, you know, just teach him a type of technique that and we want him.

To execute here.

But he has recovery speed, and that's one thing that you can't touch. You know, Chris doing a great job getting them, you know, just working on the line of scrimmage where he can be a little bit more disruptive on the line of scrimmage. But you know, he's fortunate that he's got recovery speed that if you know, if he's not as sound as he needs to be technique wise on the line of scrimmage. He's got the ability to close and then he's got the length be able

Yeah.

So I was first introduced when I went to Michigan when Mike was there. So I got hired on probably about a month or two after Mike had already been there, about a week or two into spring practice, So I was kind of learning that on the run. But I think the great thing about the system is that I think just how they've taught it, just there's a lot of word association. It looks like we do a lot. We are multiple and we do pretty much every type

Obviously a natural, you know.

Change when you're going from college to the pros book the cornerbacks, especially, what do you feel is usually kind of the biggest adjustment that rookie cornerbacks have to make now playing in the NFL.

Probably speeding length, you know, you made.

I think a lot of times in college you may have a bigger receiver that doesn't have elite speed. You may have a smaller receiver that does have speed.

You know.

I think at this level you're seeing bigger, physical, wide receivers, and I think sometimes that's an adjustment for a young corner coming in. So I think just the size, speed, you know, standpoint, I think is one of the biggest things I think too, just even from you know, like if you give up a ass here at this level, you know you can't. I think at the college level there are times you can say, yeah, you know, he may complete that it's away from his leverage.

You know.

At this level, it's just more detailed and you've got to be productive at this level.

So a DA how this opportunity came about.

Obviously you were on a Michigan staff where the head coach was rumored to possibly be, you know, going to the NFL.

If you want to return to the NFL. Was that a goal of years?

Was there a temptation to maybe wait to see a Jim's situation played out.

Yeah?

For me, I think the whole thing is it's not necessarily where you work, it's who you work with. You know, I've been at some real good programs that weren't great jobs because of the people that you're working with, and I've been at programs that struggled that you're working with great people. Now, you always want to win. So if you can get that combination of working for a great person in a winning program, that's a great job.

And had that opportunity here, you.

Know, just the amount of respect that I have for John and this program and that you know, I think the tradition that they have here on defense to be a part of that was awful enticing.

When you've been under you know, John and Jen.

How would you kind of compare their coachings? Very similar? Yeah, very similar.

You know, I think the first thing they're they're very honest, and they're very upfront if there's an issue, if something needs to be addressed. He doesn't let it string out that both of them are gonna attack it right now and get it fixed. You know, they're they're not gonna wait for it to linger on. Uh, They're always gonna speak their mind. They're gonna speak what's on their heart. And uh, you know, they come from the same parents,

And last, but certainly not least, is head coach John Harpball.

All right, good seeing everybody, appreciate everybody being here. Really good practice. Guys were high energy into it, focused speed was good. Great day for it. You know, it was a little cooler. It wasn't pouring rain. But the day's not over yet, so you know, stay tuned for some rain. We had enough rain this year. Every week we've done with the rain.

Yet.

It's supposed to be April shower, bring mayflowers. That's what I was always taught. I just saw a rain drop right there. Did you see that? That's a dark cloud?

All right?

Well questions, Yeah, it's all top golf yesterday and videos did not see you swinging anything.

I know.

All I can tell you is that my in my group, I did come out on top, which is surprising because I was with the kickers and snappers and these guys can play so but you know, top golf, I don't. If you know how it works exactly, I didn't know. It's for my first time there. You may not you may hit in the wrong big circle, but if it goes in a circle, you still get points. You know, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good practice getting up a little bit seeing that well, no, I mean

I think it's like the fourth practice we've an higher we have. We've only seen Lamar once.

Is that disappointing to you or did you?

Is this what you kind of suspect and expected?

Yeah, it's just it's it's this time of year. You know, it's a voluntary time. It's really not something that we comment on. We can't and uh, that's just the time of year it is. So I can't speak for anybody that's not here. You know, I pretty much know the different reasons guys aren't here most of the time, but not always. You know, they're not nobody's required to tell you exactly what's going on. So I'm not really specifically

You just said, Deontay Marty's a newcomer. You know this guy trying to make the roster. Ira haven't seen him out here?

Is he dealing with an injury or not?

No?

Not not an injury. There is a reason for it. Uh, you know, do I speak for Deontay he's got he's got a newborn baby situation, but you don't give him a call, you know, ask him.

John about the availability.

There's this report that there's a consideration about nfl p A getting rid of OTAs and starting a training camp in June and ramping up.

What's your what your thought of that?

Yeah, that's really interesting to me. I think there's a lot of science behind that. And the thing I'm really encouraged by with a proposal or a thought like that is the fact that the union and the league are working together on it. You know, to me, that's that's really good because we want to do the best we can to keep guys as healthy as we can getting ready to play football. And right now it's not probably perfect,

Is that the issue starting.

In June and just going with no break until conceivably at the end of the season.

Well, I think that's probably yeah. I think that's probably why the PA is that they put that out. I guess maybe I'm not sure who put it out, but if they did, uh, that's the one they're probably talking about, you know. And uh, it's it's just a longer ramp up preparation period right into training camp. With training camp obviously.

The biggest characteristic of these sessions is they're voluntary. But is there something else about OTU just sort of that wherever the checking is in the year, it's just sort of like.

A otherwise sort of quiet area.

Is there something that you think is unique about these sessions that would be lost if if OTAs were to go away?

So you're asking, like the longer break away from the team, would that be an issue. I think that's definitely something to considered. You know, it's something that they would have to look at and try to try to try to give guys an opportunity to uh, you know, again voluntary, an opportunity to come in It wouldn't be football practice like this, but some way to to be connected probably, I think they probably want to do that.

I know it's voluntary, is it, But do you feel like.

There is anything going on in these OTA practices that if for guys that aren't here, that would cause them to maybe be behind.

You know, man, I'm a coach, so you know my answer to that, you know, I mean, that's that's that's uh, that's what we do. You know, we want we want to we want to be going forward as fast as we can, you know, no drag making making ground getting better every day, you know, one percent better today than yesterday, one percent better tomorrow than today, you know, and it takes a lot of work to do that, you know. So as a coach, that's what you're always looking for.

You're evaluating as much during OTAs as you do during CAMPRA is a little bit of a different filter.

It's a different filter you're evaluating, sure, but it's a different filter. It's more about, uh, you know, guys competing against themselves. You know, their ability to learn the offense, defensive scheme, the footwork, the technique. You're not making any decisions about who plays or doesn't play until you get in training camp.

So many veterans missing.

Who are some younger players who are starting to step up in terms of leadership?

Well, I think we talked find We had this conversation today about leadership, and the message was that everybody's a leader. You know, we're all leaders. We're all we're all leaders. The quote that I had was from Pope Francis. It was that a shepherd should smell like his sheep. That's a good one, right, think about that. Never been around cheap. I don't know what they smell like exactly, but I thought the metaphor was really good, not great.

Ronnie Stanley, there was a discussion in the off season about his contract, his future, all of that, but him being out here, at him being out here just about every day, it seems like, what are you seeing from him? And you know your expectations for him, knowing this is a big year for him, professionals.

Exactly, Ronnie came out, he was he was away until the first day of ot AS and then he was here. He's been here for every O, T A and every in the workouts. Uh, and he looked good. You know, he's looked good.

I was.

I was I was, uh pleased, very pleased. And Ronnie's talent, he's working super hard, he's getting tested. These guys like Gadafe and these guys are kind of bringing it as you guys might get wrote about that they're they're bringing it man, and uh uh, it's it's it's good. It's good for you know, it's good to work together like that.

Want guys to still play fast and you know, and still stay up in this time of year. How do you go about your message into the team to you know, you want to see the play as if have that energy, as if it's a real situation. What you want them to stay up.

That's a great question. And really what it boils down to is understanding that this is not a it's not a physical contest to win the play. It's a physical contest to do your technique right and do your assignment right, and to do it fast. These guys are super ridiculously talented there. We call it fast rehearsal. Their ability to rehearse their technique full speed and not running each other

He told us in the off season that that the god a job that was healthy.

Is he kind of ramping up to be more involved in eleven on eleven stuff for mini camp or with there any kind of.

Step back there timeline? I believe is more somewhere in training camp. Yeah, it's uh, I don't.

I don't. It won't be Mini.

Caamp, but it's at some point in time once we get back from training camps.

Is there an expectation you might be here next week or is I have kind of like a wait and see situation.

Yeah, it's just not something i'm really I'm able to comment on, you know, So I don't know. We'll see what happens.

Thanks, all right, thanks all right.

You're listening to the Ravens Press Past podcast feed. For a full breakdown of everything that we saw out there during OTAs over the course of this week, Head over to the Lounge podcast feed as well. Make sure you hit that subscribe button here and over at the Lounge. Thanks for listening. We'll be back with you next week.