The Baltimore Ravens have had little luck in drafting and developing their own wide receivers over the franchise’s history. Instead, the best receivers the Ravens have had on their roster have often been aging free-agent acquisitions. But in order to field a competitive and efficient offense, Baltimore has to figure out their issues quickly.
Luckily, it appears as though the Ravens might have found their answer. After spending two picks in the 2019 NFL draft on the position, third-round wide receiver Miles Boykin has been looking like the real deal. He’s been difficult to handle in training camp practices, finding quick chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson and creating big plays.
He also took those positive practices into games, playing well against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first preseason game. According to Pro Football Focus, Boykin was the highest-rated offensive player of the game.
By the looks of it, Boykin is making a solid case to usurp a veteran for a starting role heading into this season.
At the very least, Boykin has the physicality needed to be a red-zone threat. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Boykin knows how to use his large frame to create open windows for the ball and shield it from defenders. That makes him an ideal red-zone target and he’s been proving that point on the field.
But Boykin isn’t just a short-yardage option. He’s regularly found his way behind defensive backs for huge completions. Though it was called back, his touchdown reception against the Jaguars is exactly what he’s done since being drafted by Baltimore.
If Boykin can continue to produce like he has been so far, the sky seems to be the limit for him. For a Ravens offense that still has so many question marks at wide receiver, there’s little reason to keep Boykin off the field.
