The first wave of free agency is over and the biggest names are under contract. Though for the Baltimore Ravens, free agency didn’t really offer much in the way of wide receivers to improve what is easily the weakest group in the NFL. But with free agency over and teams changing their needs, Luke Easterling of Draft Wire posted up his latest mock draft.
For the Ravens, Easterling chose Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler.
Butler has been a favorite selection for the Ravens in mock drafts. Obviously, the need is there for Baltimore and Butler has been seen as one of the top options in this draft class. In this mock draft, Butler is the second wide receiver taken off the board, following Ole Miss’ D.K. Metcalf going No. 7 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
However, Butler might not be the right selection for the Ravens. Though Butler has the physical traits at 6-foot-5 with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash, he has so many of the same markings of other failed Baltimore draft selections.
The biggest one has been Butler’s drops. For a Ravens team that has gutted their wide receiver corps two-consecutive offseasons thanks to frequent drops, drafting a prospect that is well known for dropping passes seems like an unwise decision. Though Butler has the physical tools necessary to be a real threat in the NFL, it mirrors the selection of bust Breshad Perriman to see Baltimore making that pick.
If the Ravens did want to select a wide receiver first, Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry was still available in this mock draft. Given the departure of linebacker C.J. Mosley, Alabama’s Lyndell Wilson could be an option. Even though Baltimore signed running back Mark Ingram, the addition of Alabama’s Josh Jacobs would be a huge bonus for the Ravens’ run-heavy offense.
There are plenty of options available for Baltimore in the first round, Butler just seems like too much of a gamble for the Ravens to actually select at No. 22.
