With the Baltimore Ravens currently holding the sixth overall pick in next week’s NFL Draft, the thinking among most fans and experts is that they will take a defensive player, an offensive lineman, or Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott.
The crop of skill position players on offense is lacking in terms of top-10 talent, but Elliott’s name gets thrown into the ring. However, a safe bet would be to project the Ravens to draft either one of the elite defensive players or Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil.
One position that is shaping up to not be in play is wide receiver. Laquon Treadwell of Ole Miss is this draft’s best receiver prospect, but no receiver is currently projected to be selected as high as sixth overall.
That does not rule out an early selection of a wide receiver by Baltimore, however. If things go as planned and the Ravens do not select a wide receiver in round one, starting in round two, a pass catcher may be in play.
Right now, Baltimore’s crop of wide receivers is respectable, but needs improvement. Steve Smith Sr. is entering his final NFL season and coming off a torn achilles, Mike Wallace is only on a two-year deal and Breshad Perriman is healing at a slower pace than a Terrence Cody 40-yard dash.
Come 2017, when Smith Sr. is retired and Wallace will be entering the final year of his contract, the Ravens will need to reload at wide receiver.
So why not get ahead of the curve this year?
If the Ravens land a solid choice in the first round, then a player such as Ohio State’s Michael Thomas could be of interest in round two, if available.
Projected to go anywhere from the late 1st round to early 2nd, Baltimore could be a sweet spot for Thomas.
During his final two seasons at Ohio State, Thomas was as consistent as can be, hauling in nine touchdown grabs each year and becoming a focal point of the passing game.
His college production mixed with his elite size and strength make for an intriguing prospect.
In a rather small wide receiver class, Thomas’ 6’3, 212-pound frame stands out. He’s no slouch when it comes to talent, either.
Far from a speed threat (4.57 40-yard dash), the best way to describe Thomas is that he is a technician. As a true outside receiver, Thomas mixes his distinguished route running and after-the-catch skills to present himself as a player who can be a starter for an NFL offense.
From the “technician” side of things, look no further than Thomas’ effortless footwork against one-on-one coverage.
Thomas is not the type of player to separate downfield, or do work on screens and hitches. Rather he makes his living by gaining separation less than 15 yards from the line of scrimmage, and then doing his damage after the catch.
By creating separation in the short passing game, Thomas not only allows himself ample space to make the reception, but also has plenty of open field to work with post-reception.
The skill set of Thomas would mesh well with Baltimore’s current slate of receivers. With Wallace and Perriman as the speed options, a player like Thomas can work underneath and closer to the line of scrimmage.
Doing the dirty work, whether it may be a short route or a post over the middle and into traffic, is Thomas’ game.
He is more polished from a route tree perspective than Baylor’s Corey Coleman, and runs laps on Notre Dame’s Will Fuller in terms of versatility.
With home run hitters in Wallace and Perriman already on the roster, perhaps going the route of a diverse player in the mold of Thomas would help round out Baltimore’s group of wide receivers.
Depending on how next Thursday night plays out for the Ravens, Thomas may be too good to pass up at the top of round two, if available.
