2023 CFB Talk/Draft Prospects

[DreamKid]

5 hours ago, diamondbull424 said:

I don’t know if he’s legit 6’3” or if they’re embellishing his height, but he looks to be at least 6’1.5” and around 205-210 lbs.

Tough to know, Bateman was billed as 6'2-6'3 215 lbs- yet measured in at like 6'0 190.  Some of these colleges really play with the numbers.

[diamondbull424]

Really enjoyed this interview from Hyatt, you don’t always know what you’re going to get from a WR from a diva and personality perspective. But listening to this interview, how humble he sounds, the family background, and the hard work- he sounds like a Raven.

When you’re fast you make a lot of coverages bust. Hyatt is definitely fast and I can easily see him running a low 4.3 forty at the combine.

Yet IMO he’s definitely faster than quick, not a huge fan of his lateral ability and that’s an area he needs to improve on.

Yet he’s still young and while he’s a bit of a one trick pony, it’s a great trick to be fast and what’s more he’s elite at being able to track a football. I compare him to Mike Wallace, formerly of Ravens/Steelers past.

Finesse soft WR in terms of YAC and catch point ability, but he’s going to create tons of separation anxiety with his pure speed, elite ball tracking skills, and variance of speed within his route. If he develops his route tree he could become a force, but IMO the two ideologies for improving our WR core is to either give Lamar a strong physical catch point guy that has some ability to be a deep threat (Rome Odunze, perhaps) OR get that pure speed threat to make defenses have wet dreams as Andrews and Bateman do the intermediate and YAC stuff. Considering there’s no elite physical tall guy in this class and Hyatt is a pretty elite and young deep threat, I think he would absolutely make @DreamKid quite happy.

 

[DreamKid]

@diamondbull424 Does Boutte have a redemption arc in him?

Liked his upside coming into the season, but he really underwhelmed...

Has flashes like this and I think he's one the youngest players potentially entering the draft-

 

[diamondbull424]

24 minutes ago, DreamKid said:

@diamondbull424 Does Boutte have a redemption arc in him?

Liked his upside coming into the season, but he really underwhelmed...

Has flashes like this and I think he's one the youngest players potentially entering the draft-

 

I’ve seen enough dropped balls and his lack of production two seasons in a row is just inexcusable to me.

With our history of developing WRs, I want the guy that’s highly motivated with a chip on his shoulder that has had production. I don’t think that’s Boutte after two down seasons back to back.

Jordan Addison, AT Perry, Rome Odunze, Jalin Hyatt are four guys on my radar for the draft, though Hyatt and Addison are perhaps the only 1st round options.

Of course Johnston, JSN, and Boutte would all be interesting adds if done, but the first two likely won’t fall and I’d be more inclined to go with the seemingly harder working options of Addison and Hyatt over Boutte. I trust their mentality more.

[diamondbull424]

Posted him earlier, but I just wanted to circle the wagon back. AT Perry absolutely needs to be our selection in the 3rd round if he falls that far.

If he tests well and we trade back, 2nd round might not be out of the questions either. I like his game and compatibility with Lamar.

Jalin Hyatt is what we most need within the offense due to his speed, but worst case scenario Bateman, Perry, Duvernay, and resign Robinson could be a solid core of weapons.

More ideally we over-correct and go Bateman, Hyatt, Perry, Duvernay, Robinson.

[DreamKid]

Only going off highlights atp, but Maryland WR Rakim Jarrett(who just declared) looks pretty fun.

For the hometown Ravens' fans who catch a lot of Maryland games, any thoughts on him as a player?

[Ray Reed]

41 minutes ago, DreamKid said:

Only going off highlights atp, but Maryland WR Rakim Jarrett(who just declared) looks pretty fun.

For the hometown Ravens' fans who catch a lot of Maryland games, any thoughts on him as a player?

Very highly touted recruit out of HS who chose to stay home in Maryland over going to some big time schools like LSU, Ohio St. Has a lot of pride in that way.

Route running and shiftiness is his biggest asset. Just knows how to get open. Great athlete. Great with contested catches - especially for his size - but will sometimes drop the easy ones. 

He had a bit of a down year by his standards. Last season he was borderline uncoverable at times but this season he came back to earth just a bit and dealt with some injuries.

I'm expecting him somewhere in round 3 but I think the team that takes him will be getting a better pro player than what he showed in college, similar to former Maryland WRs Stefon Diggs and DJ Moore.

Another Maryland WR to keep an eye on is Dontay Demus. Was arguably the best WR in the country the first 5 games of 2021 until a catastrophic knee injury. Hasn't been the same since but showed flashes of him returning to form the last few games. He's 6'4 220 and has (or had pre-injury) jukes like a 5'11 slot guy. He may not go until the 5th-7th because of the injury but if a team manages to get 2020 Demus at any point in his career they're getting a 1st round talent WR.

 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Ray Reed

[diamondbull424]

On 12/14/2022 at 4:08 PM, DreamKid said:

Only going off highlights atp, but Maryland WR Rakim Jarrett(who just declared) looks pretty fun.

For the hometown Ravens' fans who catch a lot of Maryland games, any thoughts on him as a player?

Not a Terps fan. But yeah, Jarrett definitely caught my eye when watching tape of Demus and then switching to his tape.

I think he’s easily the superior NFL WR prospect. He’s got the superior hands, more willing blocker, better route running, better lateral mobility.

Plus I see greater potential for improvement; younger, more agile, more physical.

I compare him to a Derrick Mason or Robert Woods type.

[bmorecareful]

We’re definitely drafted a corner or receiver in round 1… unless a highly graded OT falls… I also think whichever position we don’t draft in the first… We trade for or sign one in the off-season… I think this is Peters last year unless he takes a extremely team friendly deal… 

[diamondbull424]

Looking over this most recent trend of mock drafts has me sick. Not that mocks this time of year matter, but if Jaxon Smith-Njigba is on the board and the Ravens don’t take him I will be calling for EDC’s head. I could care less if Will Anderson is on the board, give me JSN.

[diamondbull424]

My very early WR rankings and first/second stab at pro comparisons:

5 Stars = Moss/Megatron/Fitz tier
Physical superhuman threats with elite size and elite receiver skills that you know are going to be elite pro WRs no questions asked.
- None

4.5 Stars = Chase/Holt/Green tier
Elite/high level physical traits and elite/high level WR skill with elite collegiate production. Unlikely to bust and likely to be elite NFL WRs.
- None.

4.25 Stars = D.Smith/Hopkins/Lamb tier
Elite traits or elite skill and have shown elite collegiate production. Likely to be a very good NFL WR with some elite potential.
- Jaxon Smith Njigba = Cooper Kupp

4 Stars = Moore/Metcalf/A.Brown tier
Elite traits with good skill, but less than elite collegiate production for one reason or another; could be injury, scheme, or one hit wonder. Questions still persist but elite potential remains.
- Quentin Johnston = DK Metcalf
- Jalin Hyatt = Mike Wallace
- Rakim Jarrett = Terry McLaurin

3.75 Stars = Godwin/Allen/Lockett tier
Great skill or great traits and great collegiate production, falls below the elite level. Likely productive WR in NFL but size or speed concerns likely hold them back.
- Rome Odunze = Jordy Nelson?
- Jordan Addison = Calvin Ridley
- Marvin Mims = Jaylen Waddle @4.4s
- Josh Downs = Brandin Cooks

3.5 Stars = McLaurin/D. Samuel/DPJ tier
Great to Elite traits but weren’t able to show consistent dominance/production at the college level and are being drafted mostly off potential. Thus have a very high bust potential to their game.
- Parker Washington

3.25 Stars = Kirk/T. Boyd tier
Highly skilled option with good athleticism. No elite potential but brings a very productive role that should be that of a capable provider moving forward.
- A.T. Perry
- Rashee Rice = Gabe Davis?
- Zay Flowers

Notables I Wouldn’t Draft Tier
Self explanatory. Below the requisite level that I feel they could be developed by our staff and/or wouldn’t be the impact option I’d be interested in.
- Dontay Demus
- Jonathan Mingo
- Cedric Tillman
- Xavier Hutchinson
- Dontayvion Wicks

[diamondbull424]

PSA: Not that we need a RB (and I don’t get why all the draftniks can be so out of touch), but Bijan Robinson is one of the more overrated RB prospects I’ve seen in some time.

Which isn’t to say that he’s a bad player, he’s actually impressive, but the way people are talking about him as if he’s a top 5 player in this class (it does look like a weak class, but still) is just ridiculous.

I’ve watched the majority of the Alabama tape, the Oklahoma tape, and some Kansas St tape. What I see from Bijan is essentially Deandre Swift but with elite receiving skills and with what seems to be a more durable frame.

As a RB prospect in recent memory he’d be below:
Barkley, Chubb, and Taylor. I’d probably have him above JKD but only because of his receiving skills and durability, Dobbins has the superior contact balance and vision, both had similar deep speed.

 

[DreamKid]

No deep tape dive on him yet, but loving what I've seen on Witherspoon to this point. Super physical and versatile CB who is a perfect fit for us. Guarantee he gets Marlon Humphrey comps throughout the process too.  

Let's hope his stock doesn't rise too high at the Senior Bowl.

 

[DreamKid]

Love all the mocks that have JSN falling into the 20s 😂. We've seen this story a thousand times over. 

Johnston, Flowers, JSN, Addison, and probably one or two more WRs will all be gone before our pick. 

[diamondbull424]

1 hour ago, DreamKid said:

Love all the mocks that have JSN falling into the 20s 😂. We've seen this story a thousand times over. 

Johnston, Flowers, JSN, Addison, and probably one or two more WRs will all be gone before our pick. 

The crazy thing is he falls and they don’t have us taking him. Instead they think we should be taking another RB… it’s even more sad that I could see the team doing something so stupid after last years tight end debacle.