Simply hours after agreeing Thursday to a five-year take care of Lamar Jackson, ending a tough standoff with their star quarterback, the Ravens chosen Boston Faculty huge receiver Zay Flowers with the No. 22 general choose within the first spherical of the NFL draft.
The 5-foot-9, 182-pound Flowers, a South Florida native, involves Baltimore after a really productive school profession. He completed with 200 catches for 3,056 yards and 29 touchdowns in 4 seasons at Boston Faculty, selecting to stay loyal to this system regardless of alternatives to switch to a greater group. Now he joins Jackson, fellow huge receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman and tight finish Mark Andrews in a passing assault that appears to take a big step ahead below new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
“I can do no matter you want me to do,” Flowers mentioned Thursday evening. “I can run each route you give me; I can separate; I could make aggressive catches. No matter it's important to do to play on the surface, I really feel like I can do, and I can do it at a excessive degree.”
Right here’s a roundup of how draft analysts graded the Ravens’ choose:
“The re-signing of Lamar Jackson to a five-year, $260 million contract bought the Ravens off to a pleasant begin on Day 1. They added to everybody’s happiness when deciding on Flowers, a downfield menace and zone-eater over the center who can take a fast throw from the previous MVP and take it the space. As soon as once more, the Ravens stayed affected person and bought a very good participant.”
CBS Sports activities’ Pete Prisco: B
“They wanted to get a younger receiver for his or her new offense below Todd Monken. I like Jordan Addison extra, however it is a good transfer. Flowers is a very good participant who was harm by dangerous quarterback play at Boston Faculty.”
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski: A
“Flowers isn’t only a straight-line speedster. He is aware of the way to throttle down and preserve defensive backs off stability. He creates after the catch or when issues break down for his quarterback. Boston Faculty’s all-time main receiver could not have been in the perfect scenario to totally highlight his ability set, however it nonetheless turned obvious over time. He’ll be in a much better scenario with a cheerful Lamar Jackson main the way in which for the Baltimore Ravens. … Baltimore’s run recreation will nonetheless be lethal, however the passing assault is now a reputable menace with all of the Ravens’ newfound expertise at huge receiver.”
Professional Soccer Focus: Common
“Flowers is shifty, is aware of the way to separate and enhances the Ravens’ huge receiver room effectively. He can substitute the manufacturing they misplaced from buying and selling ‘Hollywood’ Brown final 12 months, with Flowers racking up 500 receiving yards on throws 20-plus yards downfield in 2022.”
The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman: A-
“The Ravens had been skinny at receiver, and the electrifying Flowers occurred to fall of their laps. It appears to occur yearly in Baltimore, and it did this 12 months, too.
“Flowers was the one participant on Boston Faculty’s roster who may scare defenses, and nonetheless no person may cease him. He’ll do the identical factor with the Ravens.”
“The Ravens are having themselves a day. Just a few hours after inking Lamar Jackson to a long-term deal, Baltimore turns round and grabs its quarterback a brand-new playmaking move catcher. Flowers is jitterbug fast and performs greater than his listed measurement (5-foot-9, 182 kilos), providing each lid-lifting velocity and run-after-the-catch expertise. The Ravens’ new-look offense below Todd Monken goes to be must-see TV this fall.”
USA TODAY’s Christian D’Andrea and Robert Zeglinski: A-
“Flowers would have been a correct choice within the low teenagers, so the Ravens getting him right here constitutes a minor discount. Now, he joins a receiving corps with a 31-year-old Odell Beckham Jr., an oft-injured Rashod Bateman and a sometimes-explosive Devin Duvernay.
“There’s potential for that group to step up or stay within the muck, however Flowers generally is a rising tide that makes everybody higher. He’s a participant who finds methods to win regardless of what number of defenders are thrown his manner. He had practically 500 extra yards from scrimmage than anybody else on the Boston Faculty roster, leaving opposing defenses with little to plan for however the rangy wideout. He persistently roasted cornerbacks with crisp routes, robust separation and the instincts to get to the ball first. Congratulations on re-signing with Baltimore, Lamar Jackson. The Ravens bought you a gift.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.: Winner
“What a day for Baltimore, which locked down Lamar Jackson for 5 extra years after which bought its quarterback a playmaker in Flowers, one in all my favourite prospects on this complete class. He’ll make Jackson’s life a lot simpler. He can run each route, and he’ll dominate out of the slot. Sure, the Ravens signed Odell Beckham Jr., however that was only a one-year deal. They've loads of room for Flowers.
“The Baltimore huge receivers mixed for 248 receiving yards when lined up within the slot final season, fewest within the NFL. Flowers plugs an enormous gap.”
Yahoo Sports activities’ Charles McDonald: A+
“Ravens doing Ravens issues once more. On the identical day they signed Lamar Jackson to a record-setting contract, they gave him one other receiver to throw to in Boston Faculty’s Zay Flowers. Flowers is explosive, can dominate down the sector and has a powerful really feel as a ball provider. This can be a big asset to the Ravens’ receivers room.”
Sports activities Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano: B
“The Ravens gave Lamar Jackson an enormous contract extension and a speedy wideout on Day 1 of the draft. Flowers lacks measurement, however he’s able to creating area together with his route operating and may very well be a standout playmaker within the slot. The Ravens can have a new-look offense with offensive coordinator Todd Monken and the addition of Odell Beckham Jr.”
“His ability feels type of redundant with Devin Duvernay within the room, however Flowers will give the Ravens offense some extra explosiveness of their passing recreation. The Ravens wanted juice so dangerous they signed DeSean Jackson final 12 months. Flowers is an explosive receiver who can get downfield in a rush, and open up the offense for guys like Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews. With QB Lamar Jackson again within the fold, this offense may very well be cooking with grease now.”
Fox Sports activities’ Rob Rang: A
“In a receiver class teeming with potential however providing solely shreds of consistency, Flowers’ dependability as a big-play magnet stands out. Scoring 31 touchdowns towards ACC competitors speaks for itself, however additional take into account that in 2022 — for a group that ranked useless final within the FBS in speeding yards and fired offensive coordinator John McNulty after only one season — Flowers generated at the very least one play of 30-plus yards in 11 of 12 video games. He’s a pure playmaker whose recreation interprets effectively to the subsequent degree, warranting even first-round consideration for some golf equipment.”
Professional Soccer Community: A
“Flowers steals souls and breaks ankles together with his unbelievable change-of-direction capability and velocity. The Boston Faculty product demonstrated an improved pass-catching prowess through the 2022 school season as he left Chestnut Hill together with his identify etched in program file books. The Ravens’ offense goes to look very totally different this fall.”
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