Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Baltimore Ravens picked up arguably the best fit in free agency, dropping battering ram of a running back Derrick Henry alongside Lamar Jackson but could complement that physical backfield with some more speed on the perimeter during the NFL Draft.

While the Baltimore Ravens could look to replenish a defense decimated by key defections during free agency when the 2024 NFL Draft begins, adding a complementary weapon to emerging wide receiver Zay Flowers could offset some of those defensive losses.

That’s exactly how things play out in the first round of the latest ESPN NFL Mock Draft Projection.

Baltimore Ravens Add Georgia WR Ladd McConkey at No. 30

One year after taking Zay Flowers No. 2 overall, ESPN’s Matt Miller projects the Ravens to pair Georgia standout Ladd McConkey in the Baltimore Ravens’ young receiving corps.

With Zay Flowers looking like a true WR1 in his rookie season (77 catches, 858 yards, 5 TDs),” Miller writes for ESPN. “The Ravens have to feel good about their developing passing game. But let’s keep building, especially since Rashod Bateman hasn’t emerged and Odell Beckham Jr. is a free agent. McConkey is a precise route runner with 4.39 speed and the stop-start quickness to dominate on underneath routes. Coming off an ankle injury in 2023, McConkey had a really strong Senior Bowl week and dominated his combine workout; he’s a Round 1 target on my board.”

McConkey would go a long way towards rounding out one of the younger and explosive receiving corps in the NFL, and help create a dynamic offense at Jackson’s disposal.

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