Below is the list of wide receiver prospects for the Ravens for the 2022 draft. This completes the position analysis for this season. There was no quarterback review, for obvious reasons.
The complete Round One Analysis is located here.
Other Offensive Position analyses can be found at these posts:
Running back prospects are located here.
Tight end prospects are located here.
Offensive linemen prospects are located here.
Defensive Position analyses can be found at these posts:
Edge defender prospects are located here.
Defensive secondary prospects are located here.
Inside linebacker prospects are located here.
Defensive line prospects are located here.
The Ravens Big Board for the draft will be published shortly.
Wide Receiver Prospects
The Ravens top two receiver slots are filled. Drafting a wide receiver before the fourth round makes no sense in a year where there are so many other significant holes to fill. The focus in what follows is on receivers who could be available from the fourth round on. The Ravens clearly need a big-bodied receiver if they can find one. Then there’s what always intrigues me: the elusive take-it-to-the-house guy if the Ravens can find one of them too in the bottom part of the draft.
Not Reviewed Because They Will Go Before the Fourth Round:
- Drake London
- Chris Olave
- Garrett Wilson
- Jameson Williams
- Treylon Burks
- Jahan Dotson
- George Pickens
- Skyy Moore
- Christian Watson
- Jalen Tolbert
John Metchie III
John Metchie III is 5’11, 187 lbs. from Alabama. Metchie has had a series of medical issues. He tore his ACL during the college football playoffs and had surgeries after the 2020 season on an ankle and a shin. He was also diagnosed with an enlarged heart in high school. But as a player Metchie brings great body control and excellent route running to his game. Metchie has a variety of ways to get a free release at the line of scrimmage. He has only average play speed. He is not exceptionally explosive, nor is he known for physicality. I see him primarily in the slot in the NFL.
Metchie’s hands are just ok, as he is too much of a body catcher and has an occasional concentration lapse; he is not a plucker. Metchie brings an outstanding ability to separate from defenders along with a variety of release moves. He also brings great YAC ability as he brings a lot of stop-and-start suddenness in the open field. For the Ravens, given that I see Metchie primarily in the slot and given his size, he’s only a fit if you’d rather have him on the field than Duvernay, and I think Duvernay is under-utilized. In all, I don’t think I’d spend that day three draft capital on Metchie. Round 3-4.
Wan’Dale Robinson
Wan’Dale Robinson is 5’8, 178 lbs. from Kentucky. Robinson offers excellent open-field athleticism. He is an extraordinary quick-twitch athlete who is electric and is a natural playmaker with the ball. He stresses defenders. Kentucky exploited his talents with quick-hitting passes, along with jets and screen passes, highlighting his gadget potential and using him as an extension of the running game. But Robinson also brought verticality where he has a good set of talents. Yes, he is small, and he will have the shortest arms in the NFL, but he is strong. His arm length will be the reason that he will slide down the board.
Can Robinson profile outside the slot? If he can tighten up his route running (i.e., become a better technician) to avoid contested catches, he could function in multiple roles. Robinson is very tough to tackle with just one man. He catches the ball cleanly and in stride with very good hands. He needs a little more deception when it comes time to go vertical.
Some might be concerned that his slight build will cause Robinson trouble with press corners, particularly hard jams. But press corners will be challenged by Robinson’s quick twitch and acceleration, and Robinson has already shown an ability to get a good release. Now, Robinson is not Tyreke Hill – he has on occasion been caught in the open field (though he recorded a straight line speed of 4.44 in the forty), nor does he have Hill’s strength. But he will get tons of YAC with his incredible agility and slipperiness.
Robinson is also a natural ball tracker. Robinson will also compete very well at the catch point. For the Ravens, Robinson would have multiple uses in motion, in the slot, down the field, and in options. This is a player who should be on the Ravens’ radar for what he can do with the ball. He’s the type of elusive receiver I love. Round 3-4.
Alec Pierce
Alec Pierce is 6’3, 211 lbs. from Cincinnati. Pierce has been a deep-ball specialist who has outstanding top-end speed for a man of his size (ran a 4.41 forty). He ran tons of go-routes and consistently stacked corner against a comparatively lower level of competition. But he also continued to do it at the end of the year against Alabama where, even though he wasn’t targeted on the routes, he consistently won down the field. He averaged almost 17 yards per catch last year and is over that for his career. His route tree must grow for him to become a complete NFL wideout, as he effectively only ran go’s, posts, and slants, so there is a good deal of technical work to refine his skillset. Pierce too frequently rounded his breaks, which won’t work in the NFL. But his first step is outstanding, and he has tremendous acceleration.
Pierce showed an excellent ability to track the ball and adjust to it in traffic. He presents his QB with a big target. He has played a lot of gunner, so he definitely has appeal for special teams. Pierce is a competitive blocker. His play strength is not notable, and it will be interesting to see whether he can excel against press coverage. Pierce is not particularly agile or elusive and his ability to separate in tight spaces is not exceptional.
Pierce’s ball skills allow him to win in the air. He has a large catch radius. He played very well in the Senior Bowl practices, where it was noted that he showed as a technician. Although he is faster, yes Ravens fans he sounds a bit like Miles Boykin. Pierce is a player who should be on the Ravens’ board for what he brings. I like his potential. In theory, he should be a solid red zone target given his fight for the ball at its peak. Round 3-4.
Khalil Shakir
Khalil Shakir is 6’, 196 lbs. from Boise State. Shakir has primarily played in the slot. He is the king of the circus catch, i.e., he is great at the catch point. He can control and contort his body in ways that most players can’t. Shakir is a very good route runner with the ability to make mid-air adjustments. He is very competitive and brings a great character. Shakir runs with a very hot motor. He maintains his speed through the defense and has a low center of gravity which allows for quick cuts. But Shakir also brings very short arms.
Shakir is also quicker than fast. Shakir had a series of great practices at the Senior Bowl, where he faced a better tier of competition than at Boise State. He showed better than expected explosiveness there, as well as demonstrating an excellent stop-and-start and quick-twitch route running ability. Shakir has excellent short area separation capability.
Shakir has shown a serious flaw – concentration drops, which is odd given his focus in making the great catch. In all, Shakir is a strong prospect who profiles only in the slot, a position well-manned by the Ravens right now. I would be interested if the Ravens didn’t have Duvernay. I don’t think the Ravens will spend draft capital there. Round 4.
Kyle Philips
Kyle Philips is 6’, 189 lbs. from UCLA. Philips is a slot-only receiver who is quick but not elite-speed fast. I’m avoiding the detail here as the simple question for the Ravens is this: would they prefer to spend new draft capital on Philips, or continue their investment in James Proche. The former makes little sense as I think that any draft capital the Ravens expend on a wideout should be on complementary, not duplicative, talent sets. Pass, which is no knock on Philips as I think he could make a very good NFL slot receiver. Round 4.
Calvin Austin, III
Calvin Austin, III is 5’8, 170 lbs. from Memphis. Austin is this years’ top gadget receiver. He has tremendous speed, elite explosiveness, and agility. At the Senior Bowl practices, corners had a very difficult time getting their hands on him. He put up the best combination of testing numbers for any wide receiver at the Combine, as he ran a lightening 4.32 forty with a 39” vertical and an 11’3” long jump (that’s twice his height, and no one his height has jumped 11’ since 2003). Austin brings great heart and fearlessness. He has the elite quickness and loose hips to do a lot on the route tree. He is a crafty route runner and a separation specialist, both vertically and in short areas. His transition from receiver to runner is top notch. Press corners who get their hands on him – if they can – will shut him off.
Austin obviously will have issues on contested catches and has a small catch radius, but he has the natural ability to work at all three levels on the field. And, with the right creativity, he can create lots of mismatches. He could play a bigger role if he got stronger at the catch point; he must be able to better handle contact as even now he moves away from contact – all of which illustrates that right now he is a gadget player. If the Ravens want a gadget-type receiver, Austin is an excellent candidate. Round 4-5.
David Bell
David Bell is 6’1, 212 lbs. from Purdue. Here’s what I don’t like in Bell – no speed (ran a 4.65 forty). He’s just not the athlete that others are, as his poor vertical, broad jump, 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone times shows – one of the worst all-around athletic showings for a wide receiver at the combine. It’s hard to see Bell as a guy who will be able to consistently separate in the NFL. He lacks suddenness and explosion. Bell brings craftiness and an attention to detail along with strong hands with the ability to play inside and outside. He’s an excellent route runner who was very productive at Purdue. But I don’t see Bell bringing anything special to the table that the Ravens don’t already have with their group. Pass. Round 4-5.
Danny Gray
Danny Gray is 6’ 186 lbs. from SMU. Gray is tremendously fast (ran a 4.33 forty) and is very athletic. He uses that great speed to stack corners and run by them vertically. He is explosive after the catch. Gray knows how to vary his speed in running routes. He tracks the ball well and will contest the ball vertically, but he has not been a consistent finisher. He presents a good catch radius, but he dropped seven passes this year. His body is slender and he does not offer an ideal frame. He is a poor blocker at this point.
Gray has not been a tackle breaker in his career. We also don’t really know how he will fare against press coverage, as he didn’t face any top corners who presented press. I have my concerns. Gray lacks any real special teams experience. I think Gray, notwithstanding the fact that he is a great vertical threat and has successfully impacted at all levels on the field, is far from a finished product and needs a great deal more development. I would not spend the Ravens’ capital on Gray as we really don’t need someone who would likely redshirt within our current crop of receivers. Round 5.
Charleston Rambo
Charleston Rambo is 6’1, 184 lbs. from Miami (Fla). Rambo wins this year’s award for best name – in a landslide. He offers some interesting traits, though he is lean for his height and doesn’t have great play strength. He was one of the better receivers during Shrine Bowl practices. During his three years at Oklahoma Rambo was plagued by inconsistency and mediocre hands. But that all changed last year at Miami.
Rambo improved in almost every way, more consistently catching the ball, and finishing plays through contact with notable route running improvements too. Rambo has good one-step quickness to beat press coverage and separate while maintaining his speed. He does not have elite speed (ran a 4.52 on his pro day). Rambo both tracks the ball and adjusts to it well. He’s competitive and tough and he will block. He needs to further improve his play in tight areas. Rambo is a solid, ascending prospect. Round 5-6.
Bo Melton
Bo Melton is 5’11, 189 lbs. from Rutgers. Melton did not have much of a chance at Rutgers, where quarterback play was terrible, and his catchable target rate was the seventh worst among Power Five receivers. Melton brings lightening speed (ran a 4.34 forty) and top-end quickness. His footwork at the line of scrimmage is savvy and allows him to get free releases. He will work the middle of the field without fear. He is shifty but not a natural route-runner. Melton lacks play strength and he has only been average on contested catches. I see him as a lesser player than Devin Duvernay and there’s just nothing to suggest that he should be the sixth receiver on the Ravens. There’s no reason to suggest that he would be a special teams coverage player. Pass. Round 5-6.
Dai’Jean Dixon
Dai’Jean Dixon is 6’3, 205 lbs. from Nicholls State. Dixon has ideal size as a big-bodied receiver who won’t threaten vertically and will not scare people with quick-footed agility. He projects to an outside receiver only. But he plays big with good hands and toughness. He will work between the numbers and grab the contested catches, playing physical through contact. He can be difficult to jam because of his size but needs to work on his technique. Dixon showed himself well at the Collegiate Bowl all-star game against higher level competition, exhibiting his toughness and his sure hands with six catches. He is also a good stalk blocker, something Miles Boykin excelled at. Dixon is a reasonable prospect for the Ravens to consider as a big body to do some dirty work and in the red zone. Round 6.
Erik Ezukanma
Erik Ezukanma is 6’2, 209 lbs. from Texas Tech. Ezukanma is another big target who also brings good foot quickness. He has excellent body control and will track the ball to the high point where he will snatch it in a crowd. He has some big play potential. He’s a very good blocker and he’s tough both with the ball and on it. Ezukanma’s route tree was limited by the scheme he played in, but he was not as polished with his playing routes as one would like. He possesses enough foot quickness to run slants and hitches, but he is not able to consistently separate. He has enough burst to stack a corner downfield.
Ezukanma has had some concentration drops and hasn’t shown the type of agility to make defenders miss in space. For his size he has good change of direction. Ezukanma presents as a complementary receiver for the Ravens who can go out there and make the tough contested catch, give them some YAC, and block on the edge. But he’s not one I’d run to the table on. Round 6.
Braylon Sanders
Braylon Sanders is 6’, 194 lbs. from Mississippi. Sanders has been a home run hitter, with a career average of over 21 yards per catch. But he has had an injury history, missing four games in 2019 due to a hamstring, one game in 2020, and two last year. Sanders is a very good athlete and is exceptional on deep ball routes. He has a variety of moves to escape jams at the line. At the Senior Bowl practices, he alleviated some concerns by turning out to be one of the sharpest route runners at all three levels of the field and performing very well on contested catches; during his career he had difficulty in tight spaces. He has good hands. If you can get over the injury concerns, Sanders is an interesting prospect and a reasonable one for the Ravens to consider. Round 6.
Deven Thompkins
Deven Thompkins is 5’7, 167 lbs. from Utah State. Thompkins is the smallest of the small, yet he is a stellar athlete with outstanding speed (ran a 4.35 at his pro day). He led the country in deep receptions last year and deep yards. Thompkins is excellent at tracking the ball and can elevate higher than his short stature suggests; he high points the ball. He’s very smooth out of his cuts and he has some twitch.
The question for Thompkins is whether he can adapt to NFL players who will get physical with him. Thompkins will have to rely on his quickness and speed to avoid early contact. He has the type of speed that will keep corners on their heels. And he brings outstanding hands and a competitive toughness. The Ravens obviously have smaller receivers already, and that alone is probably a reason why they will shy away from Thompkins. But Thompkins is an intriguing player if you have a pick to burn at the bottom of the draft. If he goes undrafted, I would be all over him. Round 6-7.
Samori Toure
Samori Toure is 6’1, 191 lbs. from Nebraska. Toure is an under the radar prospect who had a very good year at Nebraska. He showed good hands last year and was an excellent deep ball threat. He is a good athlete with fluid hips and very good foot movement. But he is not particularly twitchy. Toure ran a 4.44 forty (though it’s more build-up speed than explosion) and also tested well in the three-cone. Because he is thin framed he doesn’t compete at a top level at the catch point. He’s 24 years old. Toure is a solid route runner with a fairly full route tree who could afford to put on some strength. He is nothing exceptional after the catch. In all, I don’t see much to excite me and I’m not sure he would really add to the Ravens’ receivers’ room. Round 7.
Jalen Nailor
Jalen Nailor is 5’11, 186 lbs. from Michigan State. The big knock on Nailor is his inability to stay healthy. He missed five games in 2018, nine games in 2019 and four games last year. Nailor has top end home run hitting capability – go routes are his bag and he has the ability to stack corners on verticals. He is smooth in his route release and has shown some ability at all three levels of the field. Nailor has struggled in contested catch situations (lacking hand strength) and has had some difficulty with physical coverage. Nailor is a very willing blocker. He is not an instinctive route runner. I believe it’s highly unlikely that Nailor would be on the Ravens’ board given his injury history. Round 7.
Others
Justyn Ross, 6’4, 210 lbs, Clemson – A true big-bodied receiver, Ross has failed to improve since his excellent rookie season. And, he had spinal surgery in 2020. For me, that’s enough to keep him off my board. Pass.
Kevin Austin, Jr., 6’2, 200 lbs, Notre Dame – No review warranted as he has numerous off-field problems and had two foot surgeries. He is talented with good upside but that’s enough for me. Pass.
Velus Jones, Jr., 6’, 204 lbs, Tennessee – Jones is 25 and though he is lightening fast (ran a 4.31) his route tree is very undeveloped as he was not tasked with doing much at Tennessee beyond ten yards. He failed to master the few routes that he was asked to run. This is enough to keep me away even though he is good with the ball in his hands. Pass. Round 6.
Tyquan Thornton, 6’2, 181 lbs, Baylor – Thornton is a deep ball threat who doesn’t offer enough else to warrant consideration by the Ravens. He is rail thin, has small hands, not a YAC player, lacks power, etc. Pass. Round 7.
Makai Polk, 6’3, 195 lbs, Mississippi State – A tall and lean player, Polk is neither a great separator underneath nor capable of bring deep vertical speed. That combination is one that I prefer to avoid unless there is something else special under the hood, and I just don’t see enough in Polk. Pass. Round 7.
Romeo Doubs, 6’2, 201 lbs, Nevada – Pass.
Josh Johnson, 5’11, 183 lbs, Tulsa – Terrible hands. Pass.
