With just one final pick remaining, the Baltimore Ravens had to get one last trade-in. They trade with the Minnesota Vikings for the No. 201 pick in the sixth round and grab SMU wide receiver James Proche.
According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, the Ravens packaged their No. 225 (seventh round) and a 2021 fifth-round pick in order to move up to No. 201 and gain a seventh-round pick (No. 219).
Despite being a sixth-round selection, Proche was highly productive at SMU. He played in 49 games, catching 301 passes for 3,949 yards and 39 touchdowns over four seasons. Part of the reason for Proche’s excellent production was because he knows how to get open, using route running and good footwork to find open space. Proche is physical in jump-ball situations and tracks deep passes well, which should come in handy with Baltimore’s aggressive offense.
More importantly and likely why the Ravens were interested in him here, is that Proche has experience as a return specialist, both on punts and kickoffs. With no clear-cut starter at either return spot, adding a capable player there is a smart move this late in the draft.
