Could Ryan Switzer be the Ravens slot solution?

The Ravens are entering an offseason in which wide receiver is a dire need. With Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman, two outside deep threats, representing the top talent at the position currently on the roster, the Ravens need to add a player at the slot. Currently, Keenan Reynolds and Michael Campanaro look like possibilities to play there, but it’s clear the Ravens still need an upgrade at the position. Among many wide receivers that have impressed in the first two days of Senior Bowl practices, North Carolina’s Ryan Switzer seems the most suited to help the Ravens with an immediate need.

Switzer finished his career at UNC as the most prolific receiver in school history, leaving UNC as the leading receiver in terms of both yards and receptions. Switzer has incredible speed, having recorded a 4.33 40 yard dash while in high school in West Virginia.

At UNC, the small Switzer, 5’10” 174lb, emerged as a threat all over the field. In his senior season, Switzer had three games in which he totaled over 150 yards receiving, including a 208 yard outing against Pittsburgh.

Switzer has built off of his success in college at the Senior Bowl, as analysts have raved about his performance in practice thus far. Pro Football Focus writes about Switzer’s two Senior Bowl Practices, “North Carolina’s Ryan Switzer continues to look very explosive and sudden in everything he does, even as he works through a slight foot injury. He ranked 10th in slot catch rate in 2016.”

Switzer truly has looked “sudden in everything he does”. In fact, the Senior Bowl tweeted that Switzer has had nearly double the “explosive moves” of any other receiver at the Senior Bowl.

Throughout the first two days of practices, Switzer’s name continually appears in analysts tweets, being listed a winner on both the first and second day.

The raving reviews come from both his feet and his hands. Switzer has shown throughout his career at UNC that he is able to make tough catches over the middle, and it showed again at the Senior Bowl, as he hauled in this low pass.

Switzer also has excellent footwork. His feet are quick and precise, as shown below.

Because of his combination of speed, hands, footwork and size, Switzer will draw many comparisons to Julian Edelman throughout the draft process. Switzer is the reliable possession receiver over the middle that the Ravens desperately lack. He has consistently shown throughout his career to be able to make the tough catches in the middle of the field, and then make plays with his feet afterward. Switzer also is a talented returner. He isn’t in the same class returning kicks and punts as Adoree Jackson or Jabrill Peppers, but Switzer would immediately be seen as a threat to steal the returner job in Baltimore.

Switzer perfectly fits the mold of what the Ravens need out of the slot, a reliable possession receiver who has the ability to make plays after making the catch. Switzer is one to keep an eye on throughout the week leading up to the Senior Bowl game, as well as in the game itself on Saturday, January 28.