While Baltimore Ravens fans clamor for the front office to buck its long, successful trend of selecting the best player available at each draft slot in order to address needs, sometimes both parties’ wishes can be met.
Sometimes by mere coincidence or by valuing prospects at positions of need higher than ones of lesser necessity, the Ravens can find the perfect contrast between selecting the best player on their draft board and addressing a major need.
The most recent case of this happening in the early rounds (granted, this draft pick has failed miserably) came in 2013, when the Ravens selected Florida safety Matt Elam. The front office valued Elam highly, and the departure of Bernard Pollard opened up a slot at starting strong safety. Elam has failed to come close to living up to the hype, but his selection has made it possible to believe that the Ravens can still address needs while staying true to their board.
Leading into next month’s first round, the Ravens have plenty of needs which could be addressed with the 26th overall pick. But no position is in more need of help right now than tight end. In this year’s draft class, however, the quality options are thin.
Only one tight end prospect in this year’s draft class is a surefire valuable starter, and that is Minnesota’s Maxx Williams, the consensus number one tight end.
Mid-level options such as Miami’s Clive Walford, Ohio State’s Jeff Heuerman and Penn State’s Jesse James could be solid contributive pieces for the Ravens offense, but if the Ravens want a true starting-caliber tight end to pair with Crockett Gillmore as a long-term duo (keep in mind, Dennis Pitta’s future is extremely uncertain), then Williams is far and away the most viable option.
The problem for the team is that if the front office dreams of Williams wearing purple and black, he will likely have to be the first round selection (if available), as he is surely to be picked around the end of the first round.
Williams has already attracted the interest of the organization, and he would certainly be a quality selection at 26 if still on the board.
Combining the fact that he will be a 21-year-old rookie and that he possesses the most balanced division of receiving ability and blocking prowess, Williams would be Baltimore’s best bet in this year’s draft class in terms of finding an impact tight end.
As an athlete, Williams does not offer much, but his on-field performance in college was impressive, making him sort of a “leap of faith” prospect, meaning one would have to believe his skill will outweigh his marginal athletic ability.
Speaking of on-field skill, let’s take a look at what makes Williams a first-round prospect.
While not heavily used as a receiving option – just 61 catches in two seasons – due to Minnesota’s run-based offense, Williams flashed when he had the opportunity to flaunt his value as a pass catcher.
He asserted himself as a red zone threat – 21.3% (13) of his 61 receptions went for touchdowns – and established his viability as a dependable option in the passing game.
As noted, his athleticism in a combine setting is not impressive, but in games, Williams displayed the tendency to transcend that athletic ability and make notable plays.
Williams at times looks like a Todd Heap clone, making a potential match with the Ravens even more intriguing.
Winning one-on-one balls downfield is not necessarily a need for tight end prospects, but Williams can be that player when needed.
It’s not hard to buy into Williams’ receiving ability even though it’s from a small sample size. He can win at any level of the field, and displays the soft hands and concentration necessary to be a down-the-seam threat and reliable underneath target.
But as is the case with every tight end prospect: can he block?
In short, yes. Williams is by no means the next Brent Celek as a run blocker, but he possesses more than adequate ability in that department.
His best trait is one that could be beneficial to a zone-blocking scheme: movement upfield. Combined with satisfactory strength, Williams’ ability to reach to second level and seal off defenders to open up run lanes promises to be a valuable trait to whichever NFL offense he finds himself in.
Williams can also line up as an in-line blocker, but what separates him from the pack is his ability to work upfield and find a defender to seal off for his running back.
Relative to this year’s tight end class, Williams is the complete package. He is the most balanced blend of dynamic receiving ability and blocking traits needed to be a successful NFL tight end.
The fact that he does not turn 21 until April 12 makes it easy to see the long-term potential in the former Golden Gopher.
He is by no means a transcendent tight end prospect, but in the 2015 class he is the top prize. Slated to go late in the first round, Williams could be the perfect mix of “best player available” and meeting a need for the Ravens.
