Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta had a great first draft. He moved around at times, picking up extra draft picks while dropping down or trading up to grab a player the team liked. In the end, Baltimore finished the 2019 NFL draft with eight picks — five on offense and three on defense.
Now with the Ravens in the middle of OTAs, we can really begin to speculate which players will make the biggest impact in their rookie season. First and foremost, we have to look at the chances of each rookie to start in 2019, which really narrows the list down quite a bit to wide receiver Marquise Brown and outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson.
Each player has good reasons why they’ll be productive this season and reasons why they might have quiet rookie years as well. So let’s dive in a little further on each player and see what could happen.
WR Marquise Brown
Brown is a first-round pick, meaning he’ll almost assuredly be forced onto the field at some point this season. It helps that Brown is a wide receiver, a position the Ravens have been notoriously weak at. Even with all the additions this offseason, Brown still looks to be Baltimore’s top wide receiver alongside Willie Snead. The combination of being a near-automatic starter and being an important weapon means Brown should have plenty of passes come his way. Some are even predicting a historic season for Brown.
Where Brown could falter is if he’s injured. He is already coming off Lisfranc surgery that is keeping him out of OTAs but he’s expected back by training camp. Any regressions in that rehabilitation could slow down his progress. But even if he starts the season healthy, his small stature is reason for concern.
At just 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, Brown is small for the NFL. Smaller players tend to be a little frailer. That makes sense when you consider defensive backs range from his size for slot cornerbacks through to over 200 pounds and four or five inches taller and are all looking to make a huge hit on every play.
Brown’s impact could also be lessened due to Baltimore’s run-heavy offense. In eight games as a starter last year, quarterback Lamar Jackson threw the ball just 170 times, completing 99 passes (58.2%) for 1,201 yards and six touchdowns. Jackson ran the ball 147 times last season and the Ravens outpaced their passing attack in the final eight games 1,607 rushing yards to 1,093 passing yards. With a more complete wide receiver corps this season, Brown could find it difficult to get enough targets to earn a good rookie season.
OLB Jaylon Ferguson
Ferguson was downright prolific at Lousiana Tech. He broke Terrell Suggs’ all-time NCAA record with 45 sacks, including 17.5 in 2018. With Suggs and Za’Darius Smith having left in free agency, it leaves the door wide open for Ferguson to see the field a lot more as a rookie too.
That’s a perfect combination for Ferguson to have a great rookie season. If he even has half of the production he saw last year, he’ll be approaching double-digit sacks as a rookie. That would likely put him in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
However, making the transition to outside linebacker in the NFL is no easy feat. The Ravens already have two disappointments at outside linebacker, including second-round pick Tyus Bowser. While Ferguson should see the field as a rookie, his inexperience could force him to be a situational pass rusher in 2019.
That’s not helped by Baltimore signing Pernell McPhee and Shane Ray. They both have starting experience and have been fairly productive as pass rushers themselves. That added competition will likely cut into Ferguson’s snap count and limit his production.
Winner: Marquise Brown
The Ravens are going to do everything possible to get the ball into Brown’s hands. While he’s a deep threat, Brown is an explosive playmaker after the catch, too. Baltimore will likely put Brown all over the field and use him in a variety of ways — from deep shots to take the top off the defense to screens where he can use quick receptions to shake and bake defenders for big plays.
The Ravens have a good handle on Lisfranc injuries, having seen several players suffer them in recent years. So when DeCosta says Brown should be back by training camp, that’s more than just a guess. Barring any further injuries this season, which no one can account for, Brown should have a great opportunity to flex his playmaking ability.
Looking at last season, John Brown might be Marquise Brown’s best comparison right now. Both are smaller-statured players with serious speed. While John Brown disappeared as the season went on, he still finished with 715 yards and five touchdowns from 42 receptions. That stat line would be enough to put Marquise Brown in the running for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
