With this past NFL season being extended an additional week, the layover between the Super Bowl and the start of offseason activities is a little more compressed. As weird as it sounds to say it, the NFL Combine is just one week away, and that means it’s time for us to start putting our wish-list together for players to watch. Granted, a lot can change between now and late April, but the Combine is a great time to set our sights on the guys we want wearing black and purple when that time rolls around.
Baltimore enters the offseason in a bit of an odd situation for them, as they only hold five selections in the Draft at the moment. While I have no doubt that EDC is cooking up plenty of ways to gain draft capital, the Ravens will still be under additional pressure to hit the marks with their limited selections, and that means getting the right guys at the right times. As such, I’m going to talk a little bit about guys at Baltimore’s most obvious position of need: receiver.
Undoubtedly, wideout is at the top of the order for the Ravens in terms of need. Rashod Bateman’s absence last season showed a glaring lack of depth, and I expect the Ravens to pursue wideouts in both free agency and the Draft as a priority. Unless there is a nightmare scenario that sees the entire group of top receiving prospects go off the board before pick #22, I’d expect that the Ravens spend their first-round selection on the best available receiver.
Based on how I’m seeing most Big Boards and Mock Drafts fall, if I could target any receiver for the Ravens at that spot, it would be:
Zay Flowers, Boston College
I have my own comp for Zay Flowers but it's irresponsibly lofty expectations so I'm afraid to say it.
but I mean…you guys see it too, right? pic.twitter.com/eElPdeDqr4
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 24, 2023
Spoiler Alert: Brett Kollman’s comp for Zay Flowers is Antonio Brown. If he can do to Baltimore’s opponents what AB did to us for so many years, sign me up in a hurry.
There is a contingent of Ravens fans that are going to be gun-shy about Flowers no matter how much flash he shows on film, based on his size. At a reported 5’10” and 172 pounds, he certainly isn’t the biggest target, but it’s never slowed him down before. It seems like every clip from this past season has featured Flowers routing some poor DB into oblivion, and the thought of having him in an offense featuring a healthy Bate, Mark Andrews and a veteran receiver like DeAndre Hopkins does my heart good.
If Flowers isn’t available and the Ravens have to settle for a receiver in later rounds, I’d be perfectly happy with:
Rakim Jarrett, Maryland
Yes, there is absolutely a bit of hometown bias here, but if Jarrett himself feels the same way, I feel like I can get a pass.
Thank you! Definitely mutual interest lol
— Rak (@RakimJarrett) January 25, 2023
Jarrett’s junior season was unfortunately shortened by injury before he could show what he could do at the peak of his game. He’s as sure-handed a receiver as any other that I’ve seen in this class, and his limited sample size might allow him to be a mid-round steal.
Rakim Jarrett is a balanced WR who's made plays along the width & depth of the field across 3 years at UMD. Jarrett elevates at the catch point, shows burst/strength on screens & offers value + potential late in the NFL Draft.@TerpsFootball @B1Gfootball #Terps #UMD #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/fqhK3rBHs2
— All 22 Films (@All_22_NFL_Cuts) February 5, 2023
Ravens beat writer and friend of the site Jeff Zrebiec did a nice run-down of Baltimore’s targets at receiver and corner (which was some of the inspiration for this piece), and you can find that here:
Some links from past couple of days:
All 32 on every team's biggest need – https://t.co/xUkuQJ0I1y
Hiring of Todd Monken whose intro presser is Tuesday: https://t.co/OYgzh8GqrE
Ravens big board at No.22: All WR and CBshttps://t.co/DpZbflhYbj— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) February 20, 2023
Zrebiec used Dane Brugler’s initial Top 100 Big Board (https://theathletic.com/4185491/2023/02/14/nfl-draft-2023-top-100-players-dane-brugler/) as a framework, and while Brugler and I have some differences of opinion on a few of these assessments, methods for ranking can be weighted differently based on things like positional value, allowing for a little more artistic liberty. In that spirit, and because I am a gigantic nerd, I’ll take some time post-Combine to develop my own board and share that with our readers as a Draft primer.
Until then, get your shopping lists together, Flock, and enjoy the Combine!
2 Responses
The WRs this year all have the same problem, they’re all too short. They hover around 5’10” to 6′. There are a few exceptions in this draft but trying to get a 5’10” WR to be a number 1 WR has additional challenges. Not unheard of but more difficult than for a 6’4″ WR. I don’t see us taking a WR in rd 1, the likely scenario is we take a corner.
I see us trading back in the draft to acquire additional picks. I see some decent WRs who could drop and be value picks after Day 1. After the combine some players will rise and some will drop. Maybe with a trade back we can address WR and CB on Day 2. I like to see Hyaat, Boutte, Mims, Perry or the MD WRs as potential picks on Day 2-3. I like CBs like Ringo, Banks, Phillips on Day 2 and Jones, Turner, Garner or Moss on Day 3 at CB. If we can then pick up a WR like Chark, Lazard or Hardman on the cheap in FA we could be dangerous this upcoming season.
If we stay at pick 22 I hope that one of the top CBs(Witherspoon, Gonzalez, Porter) or Johnson at WR are available. If not I would be trading back. Personally I have questions about drafting WRs likes Addison, JSN and Flowers early. I don’t like WRs that are small or have injury history at that early in the draft. That’s why I think we will be trading back. Those tops CBs will be gone quick and I would not chase after a WR early.