The wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL draft are reviewed below from the Baltimore Ravens’ perspective. Previous position analyses are listed below:
Offensive Players:
Tackles are reviewed here.
Guards are reviewed here.
Defensive Players:
Edge linebackers are reviewed here.
Cornerbacks are reviewed here.
Safeties are reviewed here.
The Ravens Current Wide Receiver Situation and Need
The Ravens could stand to add either a true slot receiver, a bigger-bodied outside receiver, or both. As of today, Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers will be the starting outside receivers, Nelson Agholor is their utilityman, and Tylan Wallace is their potential slot receiver. It won’t be this way come opening day. The Ravens almost certainly will draft one receiver, and arguably two depending on how the board shapes up. I also wouldn’t be surprised if, depending upon how that shakes out, Michael Gallup winds up on the roster.
As a threshold matter, it’s an interesting question whether the Ravens would prefer their next receiver to be an NFL prototypical big man, another quick, joy-stick type, or a dependable chain mover. Now the Ravens can utilize their big tight ends out wide to create physical mismatches, if they wish. But I’m a little bit predisposed, with Lamar Jackson as my quarterback and with Derrick Henry now as my RB1, to search for guys who can create open space. But that’s me. It would be a home run if they could grab both a big man and a joy-stick.
Wide Receivers
This is a very deep class of wide receivers. There’s no point in reviewing Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, or Malik Nabers as they will all be gone long before the Ravens draft. Let’s take a look at everyone else.
Brian Thomas Jr.
Thomas is 21.5 years old, 6’2 and 209 pounds from LSU. He ran a blazing 4.33 forty and is an exceptional athlete with nice sized hands. He had an amazing 1.5 second ten-yard split. Thomas is a tremendous vertical threat. On 14 go-route targets last year, he caught 12 passes and ten for touchdowns; virtually unstoppable at the college level on these routes. On four post routes he caught three, all for touchdowns.
Thomas is a great combination of speed and size. He’s another model of D.K. Metcalfe. He is very fluid. Thomas has outstanding receiver traits. He brings excellent ball tracking skills and has a terrific catch radius. Thomas dominated coming back to the ball last year, shielding defenders with his body. He has some elusiveness to his game too, creating separation underneath, though he is not elite after the catch; if he’s not free taking it to the house, he’s not giving you as much YAC as you’d like. On deep routes Thomas will find the ball over his shoulder. But he is not the type of receiver to dominate at the high point.
Thomas’ hands were a bit inconsistent. He will need to be a little sturdier against hard press-man coverage in the NFL but he has the physicality to do it. He is not yet maximizing his short are quickness and change of direction ability as a route runner; there’s more work to be done. Thomas is not as refined as he will need to be, as he needs to expand his route tree. He is outstanding on one-cut routes, but needs more refinement on more complex and extended routes. Thomas has the natural ability to be a better route runner making smooth and quick cuts; with time, he should get there (he’s only 21). But at the least he is a home run hitter on day one who defenses will absolutely have to account for.
You don’t find too many guys Thomas’ size who can blow past almost anyone. He is the ultimate field stretcher. He will be taken in the first round and unlikely to be available anywhere near pick 30. From the Ravens perspective, you have to believe that Thomas is capable of becoming a much more complete receiver with a more comprehensive route tree on his resume. Round 1. Ravens: Yes.
Adonai Mitchell
Mitchell is 21.5 years old, 6’2 and 205 pounds from Texas. He ran a blazing 4.34 forty. Mitchell is an outstanding athlete who is an amazing jumper. He has a good wingspan. Physically, he’s similar to Thomas, Jr. Mitchell is quick, fast, and explosive. He only dropped one ball last year, but has had only one year of production. Mitchell brings rare lateral movement for such a large receiver. He glides between route phases with ease.
Mitchell has a good catch radius to go along with his elite speed; he gets his hands on the ball, though he has not been great in jump ball situations. But his lighter long frame doesn’t generate top end power, and his YAC through contact is not great. This might make his potential behind the line of scrimmage suspect as you might not want to throw screens in his direction, for example. He brings excellent ball tracking skills and is a terrific deep ball threat. He has excellent double-move capability.
Mitchell will catch the ball in tight places and through contact. On deeper routes he could be a little more aggressive to the ball, and fight harder at the catch point. He has very good route running talent, but he needs to improve his consistency (which should come with time) and tighten up his footwork. He occasionally rounds a bit too much, for example, but has the ability to cut off routes at a very sharp angle. Mitchell knows where he is on the football field, and handles the boundary very well, with the spatial awareness to make hard sideline catches. He needs more work releasing against press coverage, and there is a bit of a concern as to how he will fare against press in the NFL. Against zone, he knows how to read coverages and settle into soft spots. Mitchell is a good blocker.
Mitchell’s report card is inconsistent. I see him as a mid to high second round prospect who may turn out to be a number one receiver; but might not. There are boom or bust qualities about his game. For him, it’s probably all about work ethic from here: will he put in the effort to complete his game? I have some doubts given that he took too many plays off, and given comments he made during the Combine concerning his route effort. Round 2. Ravens: On balance, No.
Ladd McConkey
McConkey is 22.5 years old, 5’11 and 186 pounds from Georgia. He ran a 4.39 forty but brings very small hands and short arms, limiting his catch radius. He has a smallish frame. McConkey is a very intelligent player. He brings outstanding footwork and knows how to vary his releases. McConkey can play anywhere in the formation. He has an injury history, having missed five games last year with ankle and back problems.
McConkey is an excellent route runner (arguably the best in the class) who knows how to create space. His route expertise extends all across the route tree and to all three levels on the field. He brings excellent short area quickness. McConkey has a good ability to create leverage against press coverage, with physical hands and quick feet. But he didn’t face press very often and therefore has limited experience. He knows how to use stutter steps and head fakes. We just don’t know how he will fare against bigger NFL corners who can get their hands on him and punch at the line. But he struggled against pressure at the line of scrimmage.
McConkey has excellent acceleration coming out of stop-go routes. He excelled at digs and come-back routes. Against zone defenses he is good at running routes to the proper depth. He has the speed to take off the top, and can threaten that right at the snap. McConkey has done good work against zone, with 2.79 yards per route run, fourth best in the class, and his career yards-per-route-run are better in the slot than on the perimeter.
He has been very productive after the catch. He averaged 6.3 yards after the catch. McConkey is elusive. But his small catch radius will hinder him in the middle of the field and on contested catches.
The issue with McConkey is his ability to stay healthy. If you had confidence that he could, he’s arguably a bottom of the first round candidate, though I grade him a little lower. For the Ravens, he is not the larger-type receiver they ideally are looking for, which could moderate their potential interest. They would have to be satisfied with teaming him with Zay Flowers as two, smaller receivers. His future may well be in the slot given his size and ability to work against zone packages. That’s where I would put him. I would not use my number 30 pick on him given other needs, but as a player, he borderline warrants it. Round 1-2. Ravens: No.
Roman Wilson
Wilson is 22.8 years old, 5’10 and 185 pounds from Michigan. He ran a 4.39 forty. Wilson has short arms but decent-sized hands. He has played more in the slot than on the perimeter, and dropped only one pass last year. He is very well suited to play on the inside in the NFL.
Wilson is an outstanding athlete. He runs tight routes with excellent sharp breaks. Wilson creates easy separation, transitioning smoothly out of his breaks. He has very good footwork and doesn’t lose ground when breaking. Wilson is very good finding open spots in zones. He easily gets vertical. Wilson is very much a hands-catcher. He fights hard at the catch point, and will compete over the middle. And he is a very willing blocker.
Now he is not as elusive with the ball in his hands as you’d like given his size. He is not a Zay Flowers joystick. But he has very good acceleration after the catch from short routes. And Wilson could improve his ability to gain leverage, and better utilize different speeds in his routes. But make no mistake, he has home run potential with explosive speed. He is also good at high-pointing the ball. But he’s more limited in breaking tackles, lacking play strength.
Wilson had an outstanding series of practices at the Senior Bowl. He was the best receiver there, showing great snap on his double moves, getting easy separation, and showing a quick release off the line. Wilson easily ran the entire route tree, and was frequently running away from coverage. He demonstrated his strong hands too.
Wilson is a slot-only receiver. He has excellent hands. What he does, he does very well. If the Ravens don’t care about position versatility and can accept a slot-only receiver, Wilson is an excellent option. Round 2. Ravens: Yes.
Ricky Pearsall
Pearsall is 23.7 years old, 6’1 and 191 pounds from Florida. He ran a 4.41 forty. Pearsall is an elite athlete. He had a phenomenal Combine, with an absolutely sensational 3-cone and vertical jump, and excellent broad jump and 20-yard shuttle rankings. His arms are a bit short and his hand size is just average. Pearsall has excellent hands, with only two drops last year on 87 targets. He had 65 catches, averaging 2.23 yards per route run and 5.8 yards after the catch. Pearsall played both outside and inside last season, but is clearly destined for slot in the NFL, with excellent prospects.
Pearsall had a good week at the Senior Bowl, where his elite quickness was on display. He demonstrated easy fluidity, ball tracking, and jump ball skills. He created good separation and made the tough catch. PFF credited him with a 91st percentile score against single coverage from the slot, and a 90th percentile separation score overall.
Pearsall is a savvy route runner. He can run the entire route tree. He’s blessed with very quick feet, and has the elusiveness that Roman Wilson doesn’t. Quickness combined with elusiveness makes for a very tough cover. He can make you miss. Pearsall has a wiry frame and can get pushed around against press coverage, but putting him in the slot should help minimize that. He tracks the ball at a high level, and will go up and get it. On the downside, he can struggle working through contact. He only forced 15 missed tackles. But you put him in motion and he’s very tough. Round 2. Ravens: Yes.
Xavier Worthy
Worthy is just 21 years old, 5’11 and a mere 165 pounds from Texas. He ran an incredible 4.21 forty, the fastest ever for a wide receiver at the Combine. He also had absolute elite vertical and broad jumps. But he has very small hands.
Given his body size and athletic abilities, Worthy’s play abilities are not surprising. He has immediate burst to get vertical and as a result can threaten on every play. But his play strength is poor, and he has difficulty with contact in press coverage. He’s not going to win many jump balls and requires freedom at the catch point. He just simply doesn’t possess the functional play strength or toughness to be a complete receiver in the NFL.
But Worthy brings excellent foot work and an elite ability to break out of his cuts. He should be devastating on hooks, curls and come back routes as his excellent footwork combined with his deep threat ability should make it challenging for corners to defend these routes. I was surprised that he ran a combined total of only 15 corner, go and post routes last year. But his 21 hitch routes highlight how his speed must be respected.
Worthy is good with the ball in his hands after the catch. He’s a good punt returner. He has had some focus drops.
Yes, Worthy is a home run threat with his blistering speed. But I’m not willing to take the risk that his frame will hold up, that he will be able to compete against physical players at the spot that he’s going to be drafted. His elite deep ability accounts for where I slot him. But I just don’t see a fit with the Ravens. Round 2. Ravens: No.
Keon Coleman
Coleman will be 21 next month. He is 6’3 and 213 pounds from Florida State. Coleman ran an extraordinarily slow 4.61 forty and has long arms with average sized mitts.
Coleman’s lack of speed means that he will have to become an excellent route runner to thrive in the NFL. He is terrific attacking the ball and is excellent on the jump ball with his very good hands. Coleman has a fabulous catch radius. He should be a great red zone target who will box out his defender. Contact doesn’t seem to bother him as he’s catching the ball. He’s very strong.
For a player his size, he has very flexible hips. He has a good understanding of routes. He’s tough on slant routes, using his body as a natural shield. But he relies more on fakery in creating separation than natural ability. He has had difficulty getting releases out of press coverage, allowing corners to stay glued. And he just doesn’t possess the type of acceleration needed to win out of his cuts. But he is an excellent blocker and can destroy corners on the edge.
It’s clear what you get with Coleman and his prototypical NFL size. I don’t think it will change very much. He brings part of the package, and the part he brings he’s very good at. But he can’t bring it all. Round 3. Ravens: No.
Troy Franklin
Franklin is 21.2 years old, 6’1 and a slight 176 pounds from Oregon. He ran a good 4.41 forty and is a solid athlete with slightly below average arms and very small hands.
Franklin is a very good vertical threat, with top-end long speed. He is a tough and competitive player. He was not tasked with running a very robust route tree at Oregon; primarily go’s, hitches, and slants. But he scored six touchdowns on 20 combined go and post routes. And though he caught all ten screens thrown to him, he totaled a meagre 41 total yards.
As good of a deep ball threat as he is (and he is) Franklin has trouble playing against contact. One would think this could only worsen at the NFL level with his thin frame against bigger NFL corners and in press coverage. He’s not a consistent finisher. He lacks the strength to win contested balls (a poor contested catch rate, per PFF) and to succeed in tight space. Franklin’s route running (probably because Oregon asked so little of him) needs shoe polish. But he’s improved highlighting different speeds to get himself free. He can make the difficult catch, but not always. Franklin is very good with the ball in his hands after the catch. He should be productive in the NFL on crosses, and if he can get off the line (put him in motion) he should be a threat on slant routes.
Franklin was highly productive at Oregon, with 25 career touchdowns across 40 games, and 23 in the past two years over 26 starts. His drops are a big concern, as he failed to hold onto nine passes last season.
Franklin is not the most well rounded, complete receiver. He should be seen as a complementary player. Now I prefer avoiding receivers who have trouble catching the ball, and Franklin’s drops last season are a concern. I rate him lower than most. Round 3. Ravens: No.
Malachi Corley
Corley is 22 years old, 5’10 and 207 pounds form Western Kentucky. He ran a poor 4.56 forty, has small hands and mediocre arms. Corley was almost exclusively playing in the slot during his career. He was a very productive player and very successful against zone coverages. Corley is a physical receiver and tough. He is very adept with the ball after the catch, cutting back to get nice chunks, and will break tackles. He should do well on short crossers and slants. Corley offers very good short area quickness. His hands are a bit suspect and he’s just a middling route runner.
A tremendous amount of Corley’s success came in the screen game (42 catches). His average depth of target was a mere 5.5 yards, and he only caught four contested balls (career rate is a poor 26.5%). Corley is a converted running back, and a lot of his tosses were effectively running plays. He’s adept at converting his speed to power, but he doesn’t really understand how to release against press coverage. He heavily relies on his physicality to get separation. Corley uses his tempo well as one of his separation keys.
Corley had a solid week at the Senior Bowl practices. Although he is dynamic once he gets the ball, it’s unclear how much of the route tree he offers at this point. Corley has natural fluidity so there is hope. He has good acceleration but lacks long speed. He obviously excels on screens, and should do well in motion.
Evaluators that love him compare Corley to Deebo Samuel. Perhaps he’s a “mini” version of Samuel. But there’s no question that Corley offers some good skills in the slot and would be an interesting addition for the Ravens with Zay Flowers on the field at the same time. Round 2-3. Ravens: Yes.
Xavier Legette
Legette is 23.25 years old, 6’1 and 221 pounds from South Carolina. He ran an excellent 4.39 forty, particularly impressive for a guy with his mass. Legette brings small hands and average length. Legette is an excellent athlete. Although he has excellent long speed, he’s a long-strider and lacks explosive acceleration.
Legette is a late bloomer, finally getting a full-time shot last year and making the most of it. Now bear in mind that late blooming one-year wonders, in general, don’t have a great record of success in the NFL.
Legette has work to do as a route runner. He is best on linear routes at this point – verticals, crossers, and posts. Like Brian Thomas, he has a DK Metcalfe look to his game at this point. He’s explosive and gets vertical quickly. He has the ability to sell the route, sink his hips and plant, and come back to the ball. Legette is a contested ball beast and is very tough at the high point on contested balls, with excellent timing. His hands are strong and he doesn’t drop the ball.
Legette’s route phases need work. He needs to be much more nuanced and smooth. His releases are limited and need work. He struggled in tight man press coverage. Legette is not particularly quick and rounds his routes too often. But he has the traits to be better. He can throttle down, as noted, and efficiently change his momentum. He won’t be an ankle breaker, but can be effective as a route runner. Legette has a lot of work to do to become a route craftsman, and he’s tad on the older side for teams to make that investment.
Legette is not an elusive runner with the ball in his hands; he won’t juke you but relies on his power and speed for YAC. By all accounts Legette is a very hard worker. He has played gunner. Legette is a willing and solid blocker. It must be noted that Legette did some solid work at the Senior Bowl practices.
Legette clearly is a tough player to rate. I see him as in the boom or bust category. If he was 21 and in need of route polish, that would be one thing. But an inexperienced one-year age 23 wonder with the same needs is another matter, elevating the risk that he won’t be successful. Now his traits offer a reasonable floor for Legette, but I’m just not that type of risk taker in the first three rounds. Round 3. Ravens: No.
Malik Washington
Washington is 23.5 years old, 5’8 and 191 pounds from Virginia. He ran a 4.47 forty, had a disappointing 10-yard, has average sized hands and smaller arms. He’s a very good athlete. He transferred to Virginia last year had had a great season with 110 catches, 1,426 yards, nine touchdowns and only three drops. But a lot of his production was manufactured. Washington is a bit of a short strider with choppier steps.
Washington is explosive off the line, and reaches his top speed quickly. He’s an efficient route runner. As a runner he plants his feet, cuts, and springs quickly; he has great contact balance. Washington led the FBS with 35 broken tackles last year and is a very powerful runner after the catch. For his career, he had only a 2.5% drop rate along with a 57% contested catch win rate. He knows how to drop his hips and uncover on hitches and comeback routes. Washington is strong at the catch point and will catch balls outside of his frame.
Washington is a short strider. He has some difficulty in press coverages, and needs work in learning how to get releases. He’s too easily rerouted, and not the most dynamic getting out of breaks. Washington pencils in as a slot-only receiver at this point, given his strengths, weaknesses (particularly against press coverage) and physical stature.
I’m not as high on Washington as others. I rate him as a fourth round prospect. He has some appeal, but there are quite a few slot receiver types that I prefer. Round 4. Ravens: No.
Ja’Lynn Polk
Polk is 22 years old, 6’1 and 203 pounds from Washington. He ran a slow 4.52 forty. He has good acceleration, however. Polk has nice sized hands and average length. Polk benefitted by having Rome Odunze on the team, meaning that Polk typically did not draw the top corner in man coverage.
He’s a hands catcher with a large catching radius. His hands are excellent. Polk tracks the ball well over his shoulder, has great body control, and will deliver through contact. Polk will make the jump ball catch. He has good ball adjustment skills. Polk plays with a lot of physicality. He is a master of making acrobatic catches. Now Polk needs work in understanding zone concepts; he lacks feel. He brings suddenness, but needs to be more consistent sinking his hips to snap off his routes. His contact balance for his size is disappointing. Overall, his separation quickness is just average.
Polk is not as great after the catch, as he lacks that top-end speed and burst. He can’t get that foot in the ground, juke, and blow by a defender; elusiveness is not his game. He’s a bit too predictable in his attack and lacks advanced route running skills. Polk is a very willing blocker, is known as a hard worker, and tough.
What makes this receiver class so deep is that a lot of the prospects do certain things really, really well. Polk fits into that categorization. He has some skills the Ravens certainly don’t have in their current receiving corps, and that makes him attractive if you draft him at the right spot. Round 3-4. Ravens: Yes.
Devontez Walker
Walker is 22.8 years old, 6’1 and 193 pounds from North Carolina. He ran an excellent 4.36 forty, has long arms and average hand size. He’s an outstanding athlete with fantastic vertical and broad jumps. Walker played well against weaker competition, but made very little impact at the end of the season against Clemson and N.C. State. At this point, his game as all about verticality. Walker brings a good catch radius. He possesses good fluidity.
Walker’s route tree is very undeveloped, and his footwork isn’t there. He just didn’t produce YAC. Walker lacks physicality. He doesn’t get out of his breaks well as his short area footwork is subpar.
Walker had a terrible time at the Senior Bowl practices, with numerous drops in multiple situations. He also dropped three passes in the game itself. In all, he dropped ten balls in the four days. Walker generally failed to get separation from the top corners and exhibited a lack of physicality. His horrible performance, and the things he failed at, make him un-draftable for me. He’s a long ball hitter who can run linear routes. But that’s about it for what I see. He’s rated as a third or fourth rounder, probably because of his great speed. I rate him lower because he can’t catch, a small problem for a wide receiver. Round 5. Ravens: No.
Jha’Quan Jackson
Jackson is almost 24 years old, 5’9 and 190 pounds from Tulane. He ran a 4.42 forty and is a dynamic athlete. He has small hands and short arms. Jackson is a polished route runner, skilled getting open underneath, and also winning vertically. Jackson has the ability to run at top speed all throughout a route. He has very good short area quickness, burst, and excellent route instincts. Jackson has decent hands but could stand to improve a bit.
Jackson obviously has a small body and frame and won’t win too often on contested catches. His vertical speed allows him to threaten on seams and go routes. Jackson is excellent with the ball and has excellent vision. But he has a bit of Hollywood Brown in him as he doesn’t play through contact and goes down somewhat easily.
Jackson already has connections to the Ravens as his uncle is Ed Reed. Jackson is ideally suited as a slot receiver. He is a chunk play producer. He has experience running back punts. Jackson wasn’t tasked at Tulane with running a full route tree. But he can be special with the ball in his hands.
Jackson fared well at the Senior Bowl practices, blowing past defenders in team and one on one drills. He demonstrated a hard work ethic, great speed, and good separation throughout his routes and at the break. He showed an outstanding hesitation move, dropping gear and then accelerating past the corner.
I think Jackson has the chance to be a more impactful pro than he was in college with his limited opportunities. He’s a bit of a sleeper. At the least he offers gadget potential and a home run threat, while possibly being your punt returner. I can imagine him on the field with Zay Flowers and (one day) Keaton Mitchell; what a nightmare for defenses. Round 4-5. Ravens: Yes.
Javon Baker
Baker is 22.2 years old, 6’1 and 202 pounds from UCF. He ran a 4.54 forty, has smallish hands and nice length. Baker has explosiveness to his game though he lacks top end vertical speed. But he’s had too many drops (15 on 117 career catches) which, as I noted earlier, is just anathema to me. How correctable that is, well time will tell. Because he actually does a pretty good job plucking the ball out of the air.
Although he’s not particularly precise in his footwork, his feet are quick, though he can get out of sync. Baker doesn’t use his body all that well at the catch point, and will let the ball get into his body. But he is very route savvy, and knows how to cross the corners.
Baker possesses an NFL ready body. He has fairly good YAC ability, knows how to finish after he catches the ball, and is able to use good pacing to free himself. Baker tracks the ball well. He has difficulty when he’s jammed or pressed at the line, and doesn’t know how to use his hands to free himself. Baker had a decent but unremarkable week at the Senior Bowl.
Baker has work to do to get starter reps in the NFL. I see him as a developmental player who likely won’t see the field much in year one but with intriguing possibilities as a future starter. Round 4-5. Ravens: No.
Jermaine Burton
Burton is 22.8 years old, 6’0 and 196 pounds from Alabama. He ran a 4.45 forty, has a short wingspan, and is a very good athlete. Right off the bat Burton has some self-control concerns. He once swung at a woman during a postgame field celebration. He was at six different schools over the last eight seasons. The word is out that he had issues with the coaching staffs at both Alabama and Georgia. For these reasons alone, and not for what he can do on the field, there’s a bright red matador flag waving in front of him.
Burton was never as productive as his raw ability suggests. His career catch high is 40, and his single season high in yards is 798 (last year). But he has excellent hands (four drops on 197 career targets). He is quick and smooth and tracks the ball well everywhere on the field. Burton has solid size. He can ward off press coverage and is hard to redirect, plays hard and physical, and will compete hard on the contested ball. Burton understands how to vary his speed. He’s an excellent deep ball threat who tracks the ball well.
Burton’s route tree is not well developed yet. He doesn’t break out crisply and his footwork is suspect on shorter routes. He has been an excellent vertical threat, and knows how to set up corners down the field. He’s physically tough in the middle of the field, gets his body in good position, and fights for the ball. Burton is not, however, the most creative receiver after the catch.
I see Burton’s upside as a WR2. There’s no way for me to make a judgment on his character issues, but from this chair he’d be off my board. Round 3-4. Ravens: No.
Jamari Thrash
Thrash is almost 23.5 years old, 5’11 and 188 pounds from Louisville. Thrash ran a 4.46 forty, but otherwise tested poorly athletically. He brings very short arms and very small hands.
Thrash had a solid week at the Senior Bowl, where he highlighted his abilities to utilize his route tempo, throttle down to get open, and technique combinations.
Thrash strikes me as a player who is solid at most things, but not special at any one thing. He brings quick feet and crisp route running. It helps get him open on comeback routes as he’s adept at selling vertical and then breaking back. He will come back to the ball. Thrash knows how to get flat out of his break to create easy separation. He is an ok vertical threat but won’t generally take the top off. Thrash is not explosive fast. He’s not particularly twitchy but he is quick with excellent footwork, and 43% of his yardage last year was YAC. Thrash is a very good route runner.
Thrash dropped way too many balls (eight last year, and 17 across 167 receptions for his career). He brings smooth footwork and cuts on tight angles to get open. He’s not the best in tight spaces nor at making contested catches as he’s just not physically strong.
In all, Thrash is a solid receiver who can get himself open with his route running ability. He wins with his feet, is not the fastest afoot, but should be able to be productive in the slot in the NFL, where he likely projects. He could be a volume receiver and can definitely move the chains. However, his hands must improve. Round 4-5. Ravens: Yes.
Brenden Rice
The son of Jerry Rice, Brenden Rice is 22 years old, 6’2 and 208 pounds from USC. Rice ran a middling 4.50 forty, and didn’t test particularly well. But he has excellent arm length and good size. To no one’s surprise, Rice really knows how to play wide receiver. Rice was highly productive last year, with 12 touchdowns on just 45 catches and 21 more for first downs.
Rice is not elite fast but plays physical and will win the contested catch. He does not have quick feet and could struggle against press coverage as he hasn’t mastered how to free himself with his hands. Rice is adept at getting open with sharp angled cuts and knows how to throttle down to come back for the ball. He should excel at hitches and curls. But he is not an elite separator and just doesn’t possess great lateral burst.
Rice possesses prototypical NFL size. He’s an instinctive route runner, with good YAC ability. I’m not sure he has a super high ceiling, however, and am not as high on him as others. He would be the big bodied wideout the Ravens lack, but I don’t see anything in particular that differentiates him beyond that. Round 4-5. Ravens: No.
Jacob Cowing
Cowing is 23.25 years old, 5’8 and 168 pounds from Arizona. He ran an excellent 4.38 forty and is a decent athlete. Cowing is tiny by NFL standards, and his size and lack of bulk will prevent him from playing outside. He has no strength profile at all.
Cowing brings excellent route running, flexibility, and acceleration to the equation. He offers the potential to be a dynamic NFL slot receiver. He’s a very twitchy player with automatic fluidity. Cowing is an explosive YAC man. He’s outstanding at creating a separation window for the quarterback; Cowing creates open space. He sticks his foot in the ground and changes direction at a very high level. He moves fluidly and can flip the field immediately. He’s a tough cover across the field. Cowing can break man-press with his sudden feet alone. He is also very good at tracking the ball.
Cowing obviously has a small catch radius. He’s not going to extend and make catches away from him. He’s not going to be that productive after first contact. Some people are calling Cowing this year’s Tank Dell (who, readers may recall, I loved last year). But as good as Cowing is, he is not as shifty as Dell (which is no knock at Cowing). He’s had some concern with dropped passes, though he’s improved, and with a couple of fumbles and muffed punts his small mitts are evident.
I like what Cowing can bring to the table as a potential slot receiver. I’m not sure the Ravens are willing to go this small, with Zay Flowers on the team. I doubt it. But I like the player. Round 4. Ravens: No (me, yes).
Jalen McMillan
McMillan is 22.4 years old, 6’1 and 197 pounds from Washington. He ran a 4.47 forty. He tested well athletically. McMillan brings very big hands and average arm length.
McMillan did his best work last year out of the slot. He brings fast feet but is not physical. If he doesn’t get a free break off the line (and he won’t in the NFL given this point), he struggles getting into his route; he is too easily dislodged by physical corners. And he’s not going to break a lot of tackles for you. He’s also not strong enough to pull away from a defender and snatch a contested ball.
McMillan brings good initial acceleration. He will catch the ball away from his frame. As a slot receiver, he offers more length than many. He can track the ball well. Now McMillan is not going to juke you out of your jock after the catch; he’s more straight-line speed at that point. And his route tree needs development, as does improvement regarding drops. He’s also had a few injury concerns. He’s a tough competitor but lacks the change of direction flexibility I prefer from a slot man.
McMillan thrives in schemes that try to get him free off the snap. Motions, screens, etc. But as a down the field threat, I have my reservations. I don’t see a player who is favored to be successful in the NFL in that capacity. He’s better suite for finding soft spots in zones and scheming him in man coverages. Round 4. Ravens: No.
Johnny Wilson
Wilson is 23 years old, 6’6 and 231 pounds from Florida State. He ran a 4.52 forty (pretty good for such a big man). Wilson has incredibly long arms – as long as they come at 35.375”, offering a tremendously wide catch radius. He also brings massive 10” hands and tested very well athletically.
Wilson, however, doesn’t make the most of his physical gifts. He fights his hands (he had 15 drops in his career on only 102 receptions). Wilson should be able to escape press coverage, yet he struggled in college doing it. He should dominate at the catch point, and although he did fine on contested catches, he should win more frequently than he did. And though you’d think he would physically dominate corners, he actually didn’t. You glance at him on film, and he just towers over everyone.
Wilson is straight-line effective, but lacks the type of route precision you look for. He’s very much a one-cutter, lacking nuance and not really setting up corners while lacking the footwork to work back. His below average footwork (at times it’s clunky) definitely hinders his ability to get quick releases and separate in space. Wilson is anything but twitchy, and doesn’t offer much by way of double move explosiveness. He has been a chain mover when needed. Wilson is a very good blocker.
Based on the film, I see Wilson as being most effective in the middle of the field where he can use his body to best advantage. He is the ultimate “big body” receiver, but with his drops, and with so much to improve from a route perspective, I don’t think his ceiling is that high. Round 5. Ravens: No.
Luke McCaffrey
McCaffrey is 23 years old, 6’1 and 198 pounds from Rice, brother of Christian McCaffrey and the son of Ed McCaffrey. McCaffrey played quarterback for his first three college seasons, then had 23 starts as a wide receiver beginning in 2022. Across 131 catches at this point, he dropped eight balls. McCaffrey ran a 4.46 forty, has short arms and average sized hands.
McCaffrey is an excellent athlete. He offers very good short area quickness (he ran a 6.7 3-cone). His 1.52 10-yard split was outstanding. He has excellent concentration at the catch point. McCaffrey adjusts to the ball and will take a hit catching it. He could make for an intriguing NFL slot receiver, with good size, excellent quickness, and good catcher’s mitts. He can play in traffic, is tough and decisive, with an ability to catch the ball outside of his frame. McCaffrey made several sensational one-handed catches during the season, and added one in the Senior Bowl game.
He needs more time to maximize what he brings. Route running is still developing, but he’s already a savvy receiver who knows how to set up corners. He utilizes hesitation in his feet to create space. McCaffrey lacks top end play strength. To this point, physical receivers can cause him problems, and getting off of jams in press-man is a bit problematic. That’s another reason why his future is undoubtedly in the slot, where he can better separate.
McCaffrey is an ascending player. His biggest drawback to this point, and it’s a legitimate one, is his ability to create consistent separation. He needs to develop more nuance in his route running to enhance that ability. With his quarterback background there is also the potential for gadget plays, but that shouldn’t detract from what he can bring as a receiver. Round 5. Ravens: Yes.
Anthony Gould
Gould is 23 years old, 5’8” and 174 pounds from Oregon State. He ran a 4.39 forty, has small hands and very short arms.
To start, Gould is an outstanding punt returner. He was a First Team All-American punt returner in 2022 and averaged over 16 yards per return across his career. Even though he has explosiveness and long verticality as a wide receiver, his route tree has been somewhat limited. He only had 20 college starts and caught a total of 84 passes across the three seasons he played. Gould is obviously a small target with a very small catching radius. For the Ravens, that lack of catch radius is probably a non-starter given Lamar Jackson’s less than elite passing accuracy. He’s a guy you must hit in stride, and given Lamar’s limitations that’s probably unrealistic from a consistency perspective.
Gould brings suddenness to the field. Yet, he only forced three missed tackles in his entire career. But Gould is a field-stretcher whose excellent speed can be tough to account for. He played mostly on the outside in college, but should be destined for much more slot play in the NFL to take advantage of his quickness across the field. His route running needs more work as he’s not as fluid on complex routes as you’d like. And he could improve throttling down to help create more space. He wasn’t as elusive on tape as I expected, showing more straight-line high velocity as his YAC winner. With Lamar Jackson you’d prefer a receiver with a wider catch radius. Round 5-6. Ravens: No (unless they want him as a punt returner).
Players listed as “Yes” below would be priority undrafted free agents.
Other Wide Receiver Prospects: No
Cornelius Johnson, Michigan
Tahj Washington, USC
Ainias Smith, Texas A&M (bad injury history)
Other Wide Receiver Prospects: Yes
Ryan Flournoy, SE Missouri State
Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State (return man)
Sleeper:
Mason Tipton, Yale
