OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Several key Ravens players were absent from Friday's OTA session in Owings Mills, including Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins, Kyle Hamilton and Odafe Oweh.
However, the practice highlighted promising developments for two young players looking to make an impact in the upcoming season.
Second-year cornerback Nate Wiggins has added 10 pounds of muscle this offseason, addressing the physical demands he faced as a rookie.
Watch some young Ravens players speak on the strides they are hitting during OTA's
"It was a big offseason for me to gain weight and get stronger. I gained like 10 pounds. I'm a lot stronger, a lot bigger," Wiggins said.
The former Clemson Tiger's development has caught the attention of head coach John Harbaugh, who emphasized Wiggins' focus on technical aspects of his game.
"You saw him today, right? He had a pick and a key breakup in a critical situation, expect him to be locked in and focused on the little things," Harbaugh said.
Running back Keaton Mitchell is also making strides, now fully focused on improving his game rather than rehabilitating from injury. Mitchell, who spent last offseason recovering from a torn ACL, described overcoming the mental challenges of his return.
"Coming back, you're always thinking about what's gonna happen, what's gonna happen if I get tackled, but just overcoming that, I'm much better. I'm out there like normal, not worried about what my knee is doing, just being confident in my knee and my rehab," Mitchell said.
Harbaugh has noticed Mitchell's progress, noting significant improvement in his movement compared to last season.
"I mean, he looks way better than he did at the end of last season, I think just as far as movement, I got high hopes," Harbaugh said.
Mitchell also expressed enthusiasm about contributing to the kick return game, particularly with the NFL's new kickoff rules.
"I'm definitely doing that. Especially, since if it's a touchback, they go to the 35, so I'm pretty sure teams are put in play, and I wanna be the one to return the kickoff returns, being able to be like a Devin Hester like don't kick it to that type of guy," Mitchell said.
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