Ravens News 3/22: Big-play WR prospects, mock draft and more

DeCosta Trying To Find Balance With Ravens 2019 Roster - Todd Karpovich

Eric DeCosta faces a tough challenge in his first year as the general manager of the Baltimore Ravens.

He is trying to build a team capable of defending its AFC North title in 2019, while positioning the franchise for long-term success.

DeCosta is fully confident he can find more players that want to signs with Baltimore.

“We’ve become a destination team,” DeCosta said. “I think our fan base, our stadium, this facility, the brand, what we do in the community, I think it all kind of gels together. We’ve become a team where players want to play, and that’s a great feeling. Looking back from 1996 to where we are now, there’s been tremendous growth, and I’m very proud of that.”

The Ravens are going to need that pass rusher to support the secondary. DeCosta also needs to boost the interior offensive line and find some receivers to replace Crabtree and Brown. He is confident the Ravens have the resources to make those upgrades to compete in 2019 and beyond.

“We still have some money available, and so we have some flexibility over the next couple weeks to make some additional moves if we want to do that,” DeCosta said.

Eric Berry, Ndamukong Suh and Jamie Collins headline the remaining free agents.

NFL Draft: The most important stat for every top WR prospect - Marcus Mosher

2. Hakeem Butler, Iowa State – 25 receptions of 20 or more yards

Everything that was said about D.K. Metcalf could also be said about Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler. In 2018, Butler was third in the nation in yards per reception, averaging an incredible 22 yards per catch (97^th percentile since 2000). His 25 receptions of at least 20 yards paced FBS as Butler consistently made play after play down the field in the Big 12.

5. Parris Campbell, Ohio State – 83 Percent Catch Rate

Some of the stats listed in this article can tell you a lot about a player, such as Hakeem Butler’s big-play ability, D.K. Metcalf’s yards per reception, etc. In the case of Parris Campbell, there are two potential conclusions that can be formed after looking at a specific stat. In 2018, Campbell caught 83 percent of the passes intended for him, leading the nation. In total, Campbell caught 90 passes for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns.

8. Emanuel Hall, Missouri – 43 Percent Big-Play Rate

One of the most underrated receivers in the 2019 NFL draft is Emanuel Hall of Missouri. Despite putting up fantastic numbers in the SEC, he hasn’t received a lot of buzz throughout the draft process. Hall is one of the best deep threats in the entire class, averaging 22.4 yards per reception in his final season at Mizzou.

A pair of big-play wideouts would complement the possession skills of Willie Snead IV, Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst.

2019 NFL mock draft 2.0: Giants reload at WR, QB - Lance Zierlein

22. Ravens

Garrett Bradbury - OL

Sources around the league believe it’s possible that Bradbury goes before this selection, but if he’s on the board here, it could be hard for the Ravens to pass on this heady, consistent leader.

ACC pass rushers Brian Burns and Clelin Ferrell are selected 21st and 24th, respectively, in Zierlein’s mock.