Storylines to Follow at Rookie Minicamp May 13, 2021 at 03:20 PM OLB Odafe Oweh
Rookie minicamp will provide an early glimpse of the potential of the 2021 rookie class.
Here are some things the Ravens want to accomplish during rookie minicamp, when players take the field Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Under Armour Performance Center:
Getting Rashod Bateman Off
a Solid Start
As the Ravens top draft pick, Bateman has the potential to be a weapon who makes a difference in the offense right away. He played with swagger at Minnesota from Day 1, looking like a wide receiver with NFL potential even as a freshman. He ran effective routes as either an outside receiver or from the slot, and Bateman was a poised player who rarely made mistakes.
CB Brandon Stephens
Finding the right position fit for a player is important. But in today s NFL, finding players who can fill multiple roles is even better.
Selecting players with versatility was a consistent theme for the Ravens in this year s draft. Whether it was a receiver like Rashod Bateman, who is dangerous lining up both outside or in the slot, or a defensive back like Brandon Stephens, who can play corner or safety, the Ravens were attracted to players who aren t pigeonholed by having just one strength. One of the commonalities with all these players, or most of these players, is their versatility, Director of Player Personnel Joe Hortiz said. With the coaching staff that we have here, the way we can use players and how we move players around, it s really easy to go out and try to look for those guys and get excited about a guy when you can see him playing multiple positions.
Aaron Doster/NFL NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces the Baltimore Ravens 27th pick during the 2021 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Aaron Doster/NFL)
Five thoughts on the Ravens 2021 draft:
Beforehand, I was bullish on this being a year when the Ravens could use their top pick on an offensive lineman. It isn t sexy, but it just made sense given the Ravens run-focused offense and their urge to better protect Lamar Jackson. The trade of Orlando Brown Jr. only intensified the need, I thought. In the end, though, the Ravens bypassed several O-line prospects and took wide receiver Rashod Bateman at No. 27. It surprised me, but did you see what happened to those O-line prospects? None went until well into the second round. So the Ravens weren t alone in thinking they d be reaches at No. 27. We re not going to reach on guys, GM Eric DeCosta said Saturday. With that in mind, I understand why the Ravens took Bateman. The other
2019 stats:
11 games, 26 tackles, 1 interception, 7 passes defended
Why he fits the Ravens: Wade is an excellent blitzer from the corner position, a strength that Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale will surely look to utilize. Though he played outside in 2020, Wade was primarily a slot corner in 2019 and excelled. Although the Ravens are deep at cornerback, it s a position they value greatly and they never want to be caught shorthanded in the secondary due to injuries. Investing in a player who was regarded as one of the country s top cornerbacks in 2019 is a move not just for the present, but for the future.
Apr 30, 2021 at 12:19 AM Copied!
Ryan Mink: The Ravens are a team that typically puts a high premium on production with their pass rushers. Well, Jayson Oweh didn t have any sacks in seven games last year. That s a little misleading, however, because he still got a lot of pressure. The Ravens are banking on Oweh s freakish athleticism being a sign that he s just scratching the surface of his immense talent. Baltimore needed a pass rusher to get after quarterbacks on the edge. Oweh can take the Ravens coaching and be a high-upside talent.
Clifton Brown - Jayson Oweh has the kind of athleticism that s hard to ignore, and I like the idea of addressing the pass rush on Day 1 with a pass rusher who has plenty of upside. The Ravens have done a good job developing pass rushers in the past, and they will hope Oweh is the next example. I m not worried about the fact he didn t have a sack last season. Oweh was around the quarterback a lot, and I think he ll get ple