The Ravens’ 2021 draft class defies straightforward narratives. In late April, common supervisor Eric DeCosta opened it with a rarity: two first-round picks. By late August, the eight-player haul had already been lowered to 6, one other front-office rarity. There have been highs and lows, breakthroughs and accidents, starters and backups.
“Generally, we simply tried to select good gamers, guys that would do a number of issues, guys that match us, personality-wise,” DeCosta stated after the NFL draft wrapped up Might 1. “We tried to select good, powerful and aggressive guys. Fairly truthfully, if we had a alternative between two gamers and so they have been equal skills, we might all the time defer to the man that basically lives like a Raven, so to talk. That was one thing that we used to separate a variety of guys this yr.”
As Ravens officers put together for this April’s draft, the crew’s 2021 class is due for an analysis. Right here’s a have a look at how the Ravens’ eight picks fared, and the way they may slot in (or not) on subsequent season’s crew.
Doubtless starters
WR Rashod Bateman
Stats: 12 video games (4 begins), 46 catches on 65 targets, 515 receiving yards (171 after the catch), one landing, 29 first downs, two dropped passes, two penalties (one false begin, one offensive move interference); graded out as PFF’s No. 9 vast receiver amongst 13 qualifying rookies
2021 abstract: The No. 27 total decide missed the Ravens’ first 5 video games whereas recovering from groin surgical procedure, which reduce brief a promising coaching camp. Regardless of his delayed introduction and restricted time with Lamar Jackson at quarterback, Bateman completed the season with the second-most receiving yards per sport by a rookie in franchise historical past (42.9), behind solely vast receiver Torrey Smith (52.6 in 2011).
Bateman’s manufacturing was vulnerable to inconsistency — he sandwiched a no-catch and one-catch sport round his 103-yard outburst in Week 14 — however the former Minnesota star confirmed the route-running means that made him so productive in faculty. He additionally had some highlight-reel catches and slick after-the-catch strikes.
2022 projection: Bateman stated he bought out of the season wholesome, however after three months of enjoying on a surgically repaired groin, the offseason in all probability got here as a aid. He acknowledged after the draft final yr that his run blocking must enhance, and one other yr in an NFL power program ought to assist his development there, too.
With these positive aspects, Bateman might supplant Marquise “Hollywood” Brown because the Ravens’ high exterior vast receiver subsequent season. Whereas Bateman was a much less productive slot receiver (1 yard per route run) than Brown (2 yards per route run), he was extra environment friendly in exterior alignments (1.5 yard per route run) than his fellow first-round decide (1.2 yards per route run), in line with Sports activities Data Options.
OLB Odafe Oweh
Stats: 15 video games (two begins), 5 sacks, three compelled fumbles, 33 tackles (5 for loss), 15 quarterback hits, one move defended, 4 penalties (two roughing the passer, one offside, one neutral-zone infraction); graded out as PFF’s No. 4 edge rusher amongst 12 qualifying rookies
2021 abstract: The No. 31 total decide didn’t want lengthy to distance himself from his 2020 season at Penn State, which he completed with no sack. Oweh took down the Las Vegas Raiders’ Derek Carr in his NFL debut, then had a game-changing compelled fumble within the Ravens’ comeback win over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in Week 2. In Week 4 and Week 5, respectively, he knocked Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater out of the sport and strip-sacked the Indianapolis Colts’ Carson Wentz.
Regardless of lacking the Ravens’ remaining two video games with a foot damage, Oweh completed the season with 49 quarterback pressures, in line with PFF, probably the most amongst rookie edge rushers. The Ravens additionally bought artistic together with his alignments, generally asking him to beat guards, spy the quarterback or disrupt receiver’s releases on apparent passing downs.
2022 projection: If Tyus Bowser’s restoration from a reported Achilles tendon damage pushes again his return to the center of subsequent season, and if the Ravens can’t re-sign Justin Houston, Oweh would enter Week 1 because the crew’s high returning exterior linebacker.
He has the athleticism and soccer IQ to dominate as a run defender and maintain his personal in move protection. As a move rusher, nonetheless, Oweh’s nonetheless studying the best way to profit from his items. He wants to point out he can bother linemen as a lot together with his velocity off the sting as together with his measurement, size and mixture of counters.
S Brandon Stephens
Stats: 17 video games (11 begins), 78 tackles (49 solo, one for loss), 4 passes defended, one quarterback hit, one penalty (unlawful contact); graded out as PFF’s No. 5 security amongst six qualifying rookies
2021 abstract: The third-round decide by no means performed lower than 23% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps in a sport, and he bought each snap in 4 of them. Stephens’ function solely expanded after beginning security DeShon Elliott suffered a season-ending biceps and pectoral damage in Week 9. He completed the yr with 744 defensive snaps (sixth most on the crew) and 223 particular groups snaps (behind solely Wallace amongst Ravens rookies).
Stephens, who performed primarily cornerback at Southern Methodist, lined up in all places on protection in 2021 — generally out of necessity, generally as a chess piece. In move protection, for instance, he performed 11 snaps as an outdoor cornerback, 75 as a slot cornerback, 90 as an in-the-box security and 265 as a deep-lying security, in line with SIS.
2022 projection: Stephens was one of many Ravens’ highest-graded gamers over the ultimate month of the season, in line with PFF, and his relative inexperience at security opens up a handful of potentialities for his future subsequent season. Does the Ravens’ workers see his biggest worth as a center-field security, a field security or a matchup security who may also help out wherever? If it’s the latter, the Ravens might goal a extra conventional security in free company or the draft, somebody who might complement Chuck Clark and Stephens within the secondary.
To be decided
G Ben Cleveland
Stats: 12 video games (4 begins), no sacks allowed, two penalties (one holding, one false begin); graded out as PFF’s No. 6 move blocker and No. 8 run blocker amongst 9 qualifying rookie guards
2021 abstract: Offensive coordinator Greg Roman hailed the third-round decide as the most effective run blocker within the draft, however accidents and rookie-year rising pains hamstrung Cleveland’s growth considerably. In an early-season timeshare at left guard with Ben Powers, he performed practically 50% of the offensive snaps from Week 2 to Week 4.
A minor knee damage in Week 5 sidelined the Georgia product for over a month, nonetheless, and he didn’t earn his subsequent offensive snap till mid-December. After Powers suffered what grew to become a season-ending foot damage in Week 14, Cleveland performed each offensive snap over the Ravens’ remaining 4 video games.
2022 projection: Cleveland, who’s anticipated to compete with the extra skilled Powers and Tyre Phillips for the beginning job at left guard, not often appeared overwhelmed in move safety and confirmed good motion abilities for a 6-foot-6, 357-pound rookie. His subsequent step is changing power into energy; Cleveland had some success clearing house on double groups, however he struggled to uproot defenders as a one-on-one run blocker.
WR Tylan Wallace
Stats: 17 video games (one begin), two catches on six targets, 23 receiving yards (14 after the catch), 9 particular groups tackles (4 solo), two kick returns (19.5 yards per return), one penalty (unlawful shift)
2021 abstract: After a knee damage ended his 2019 season at Oklahoma State and interrupted his 2020 marketing campaign, Wallace made it by his rookie yr with nearly no time on the damage report. (He missed only one observe, in December, whereas clearing the NFL’s concussion protocol.) The fourth-round decide completed sixth on the crew in particular groups snaps (58.7% total), probably the most for any Ravens rookie or offensive participant, and had some ups and downs as a gunner on coordinator Chris Horton’s punt crew.
As a receiver, Wallace needed to modify to new territory. After working nearly solely as a right-sided exterior receiver in faculty, he began 31 of his 51 routes this season within the slot, in line with SIS. His two catches have been each spectacular: a diving 5-yard seize on an outside-the-numbers throw in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers in Week 15, and an 18-yard catch-and-run every week later in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals by which he spun out of two deal with makes an attempt.
2022 projection: Wallace has already proved his particular groups worth. Now he’ll should proceed his development at vast receiver, the place he’ll battle for snaps behind Brown, Bateman and Devin Duvernay, and possibly one other. Wallace thrived as a vertical, jump-ball menace at Oklahoma State, however the most effective slot receivers earn snaps with their route working, mushy fingers and reliable blocking. If Wallace develops right into a trusted goal over the center, he might block James Proche II’s path to extra enjoying time.
OLB Daelin Hayes
Stats: One sport (4 defensive snaps) and no tackles
2021 abstract: The fifth-round decide was one of many Ravens’ most spectacular rookies by offseason exercises and over the primary two weeks of coaching camp. Then accidents bought in the way in which, as they generally did at Notre Dame. Hayes missed the Ravens’ first two video games with a knee damage, solely to undergo a high-ankle sprain in his Week 3 debut. He later underwent a minor knee operation in the midst of the season. Hayes returned to observe in late December however was positioned on season-ending injured reserve on Jan. 1.
2022 projection: A wholesome Hayes must be a rotational exterior linebacker in Baltimore subsequent season. The Ravens might’ve used him on the sturdy aspect as a rookie, particularly when accidents and a coronavirus outbreak depleted the place’s depth. Hayes has reliable strikes and spectacular bend for an edge rusher, and his motor, versatility and edge-setting means ought to earn him enjoying time.
Already gone
CB Shaun Wade
Towards the top of an unimpressive coaching camp, the previous Ohio State star was traded to the New England Patriots for a 2022 seventh-round decide and 2023 fifth-round decide. Wade, a fifth-round decide, appeared in three video games for the Patriots over the second half of the season, seeing 11 defensive snaps and 7 particular groups snaps.
FB/TE Ben Mason
The fifth-round decide from Michigan, drafted as fullback Patrick Ricard’s inheritor obvious, left Baltimore after failing to make the Ravens’ season-opening 53-man roster. He joined the Patriots’ observe squad, then by no means appeared in a sport for New England, which launched him in November. Mason joined the Chicago Bears’ observe squad in December however was not signed to a reserve/future deal.