The calendar has formally flipped to April, which may solely imply one factor: It’s time to prepare for the NFL draft.
The primary spherical begins April 27 in Kansas Metropolis, however till then, the Ravens have lots to determine. Most notably, their contract stalemate with star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has requested a commerce whereas underneath the $32.4 million nonexclusive franchise tag. If he will get his want, the Ravens’ draft may look lots totally different.
Baltimore owns 5 picks: Nos. 22 (first spherical), 86 (third spherical), 124 (fourth spherical), 157 (fifth spherical) and 199 (sixth spherical). A blockbuster deal for Jackson would considerably improve the dimensions of that haul, however the Ravens are assured at the very least one further first-rounder this yr if Jackson indicators a suggestion with one other group earlier than the draft and Baltimore declines to match it.
As we get nearer to the draft, The Baltimore Solar will study which gamers at every place of want (quarterback, broad receiver, cornerback, edge rusher, offensive line and line of defense) could possibly be accessible within the early, center and late rounds when the Ravens are on the clock. Immediately, it’s broad receiver, a place coach John Harbaugh has already promised the group will deal with within the draft.
Early: TCU’s Quentin Johnston
On this broad receiver class, Johnston is an outlier. At 6 toes 3 and 208 kilos, he affords the very best mixture of top, weight and pace of the potential first-round picks, recording the second-best athleticism rating of any broad receiver on the NFL scouting mix. The one drawback? He doesn’t usually use these skills to his benefit.
With a 40.5-inch vertical bounce and explosive pace, the 21-year-old Johnston has all of the bodily instruments to be an elite exterior receiver. He caught 60 passes for 1,067 yards and 6 touchdowns in a breakout 2022 season, however he did most of his injury by creating yards after the catch. His common depth of goal of 12.9 yards ranked 172nd within the nation, in accordance with Professional Soccer Focus, and he solely made eight contested catches.
Analysts have knocked Johnston for his incapacity to make use of his measurement to create separation and outmuscle defenders on the catch level. Too usually, he didn’t prolong his arms or correctly time his leap to fulfill the ball at its highest level on deep throws. His inconsistent fingers and lackluster route working are additionally a priority, as he posted a poor 11.8% drop charge in 2022.
Even given his limitations, Johnston affords the elite athleticism and huge catch radius the Ravens have lacked for years at broad receiver. Whereas he may give followers flashbacks to Breshad Perriman, the disappointing 2015 first-round choose, he’s precisely the kind of participant normal supervisor Eric DeCosta must hold taking swings at.
Center: Mississippi’s Jonathan Mingo
For a quarterback who likes to throw over the center of the sphere as a lot as Jackson, Mingo is an intriguing match.
At 6-2 and 220 kilos, the 21-year-old is an imposing goal who can work out of the slot and make robust catches in visitors. Whereas he doesn’t provide the pace to be a dynamic deep menace, analysts say he’s an adept route runner who tracks the ball effectively and picks up yards after the catch.
The largest query for Mingo is a scarcity of manufacturing, particularly in Ole Miss’ pass-happy offense underneath the course of coach Lane Kiffin. He obtained his most enjoying time in 2022, catching 51 passes for 867 yards and 5 touchdowns to almost surpass his totals from the earlier two seasons mixed.
Nevertheless, his standout athletic testing scores counsel he may need untapped potential. With a 4.46-second 40-yard sprint, 39.5-inch vertical bounce, 10-foot-9-inch broad bounce and 22 bench press reps, Mingo ranked eighth amongst broad receivers in athleticism rating on the scouting mix. He additionally impressed on the Senior Bowl, with senior director Jim Nagy saying that broad receiver coaches have Mingo graded greater than a number of projected first-round prospects.
If that isn’t sufficient, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compares Mingo to former Ravens star Anquan Boldin.
Late: BYU’s Puka Nacua
For a Ravens group that merely wants extra playmakers on offense, the 6-2, 201-pound Nacua can be a worthy addition.
In his evaluation, Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen wrote that Nacua’s “measurement, [yards-after-catch] expertise and blocking prowess may make him a difference-maker sooner moderately than later” whereas evaluating the Cougars star to a “Low cost Deebo Samuel.” That type of participant could possibly be particularly beneficial to new coordinator Todd Monken in an offense Harbaugh has promised will probably be extra up-tempo and cross extra ceaselessly. The 22-year-old Nacua additionally has a good quantity of expertise carrying the ball, both on jet sweeps or lined up as a working again.
In his second season at BYU after transferring from Washington, the Utah native was one of the vital environment friendly receivers within the nation, averaging 3.53 yards per route run whereas incomes the sixth-highest grade amongst wideouts, in accordance with Professional Soccer Focus. In 9 video games, he caught 48 passes for 625 yards and 5 touchdowns — higher than what Ravens main broad receiver Damarcus Robinson achieved in 17 contests in 2022 — and rushed 25 occasions for 209 yards and 5 scores.
Though he's uncooked with regards to the finer factors of enjoying broad receiver after being requested to run a restricted route tree at BYU, Nacua’s athleticism and contested-catch expertise provide tantalizing potential.
NFL draft
Thursday, April 27, to Saturday, April 29
TV: ESPN, NFL Community
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