The Baltimore Ravens struck gold in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft when they took Zay Flowers out of Boston College with the No. 22 overall pick. Could Baltimore target another receiver early in this year's draft?
The Ravens website broke down the upcoming NFL Combine, which is set to take place next week. Along with using that time to negotiate with pending free agents, the site mentioned the possibility that Baltimore would take a receiver on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, and should they go that route, a bigger receiver could be the target given Lamar Jackson's success throwing to tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
"Baltimore needs to hit scripted deep shots more consistently for the offense to take the next step," the Ravens website writes. "Speed is always a premium, but a player who excels at making contested catches could fit Jackson well. He's shown great chemistry with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. How about a big wideout?"
Taking another receiver early or even in the first round may seem redundant, but anything the Ravens do to help Jackson is well warranted. Of his 24 passing touchdowns in his second MVP campaign, Andrews and Likely combined for 11.
This draft class is littered with big receivers who can make contested catches and potentially be the perfect counterpart to Flowers, who is more known for his route running and speed. Troy Franklin, Adonai Mitchell and Keon Coleman are three receivers who are each at least 6-foot-3 and would be the big receiver Baltimore could be looking for.
In Daniel Jeremiah's second mock draft, Mitchell went with the No. 26 overall pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Franklin was the last pick of the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs. Coleman wasn't taken in Jeremiah's mock draft, but the odds he'd make it out of the top-ten picks in the second round are unlikely.
Other big receivers who could be more realistic options for the Ravens on day two of the draft are Xavier Leggette and Devontez Walker.
Jackson's success throwing to Andrews and Likely are proof that adding a big receiver can make the Ravens passing attack deadly. Any pick that helps Jackson is a good one, and if that means taking a receiver in the first round for a second-straight year, the Ravens shouldn't think twice about it.
More must-reads: