Ravens News 2/25: WR weigh-in winners and more

Why Improving at Wide Receiver Is So Important This Offseason - John Eisenberg

No doubt, defensive coordinators are taking a good, long look at the Ravens’ “revolutionary” offense, which overwhelmed the league in 2019, while conceptualizing ways to slow it down.

”We understand we are going to be studied on both sides of the ball, by every single team in the league, very thoroughly,” Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh said last month. “We will be the first team that they will pull the tape up on and watch. Our job is to stay ahead. Our job is to find the areas where we can come up with new ideas – expand, tweak, challenge people the way they challenged us or the way we anticipate them challenge us going forward. [We need to] have those answers ready, schematically. So, we will be working on that real hard in the offseason.”

Put simply, while other teams work on stopping what the Ravens rolled out in 2019, it’s up to the Ravens to be new and different in some way in 2020.

Nonetheless, I’m sure analysts studying Jackson’s MVP performance years from now will find it amazing that he wreaked so much havoc and led the league in touchdown passes while throwing to the league’s least-productive wide receiver corps.

The Ravens aren’t going to fundamentally change who they are; the tight ends and running backs will remain the focus of the offense. But it would help to have more productive wide receivers.

NFL Combine Day 1: Winners & Losers from Weigh-ins, Measurements | QBs, WRs, TEs - Erick Trickel

Wide Receivers

Winner: Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State

A receiver with Aiyuk’s skill-set and an 80-inch wingspan is going to draw a lot of attention. The drills will be key, but he is going to garner a lot of attention.

Winner: Devin Duvernay, Texas

At 200 pounds with 9-1/2-inch hands, Duvernay checked off a lot of boxes. He is quickly becoming a forgotten receiver in such a stout class.

Winner: Jalen Reagor, TCU

Reagor answered some questions with his measurements. Coming in at 206 pounds is a good weight, and his 31-3/8-inch arms are really good for his size. His bigger test comes with how fast he runs and how well he does in the gauntlet.

Winner: Laviska Shenault, Colorado

Teams have seen success from players like Shenault and his measurements are going to please a lot of teams. At 6-foot flat and 227 pounds, he is well built with good length. He is built like a running back and plays like one at the receiver position.

Top 50: 2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings 2.0 - Daniel Jeremiah

38. Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge

School: Penn State | Year: Junior Previous rank: Not ranked

Gross-Matos is a tall, long edge rusher for the Nittany Lions. He will stand up on the edge or launch out of his 4-point stance. He is a very productive pass rusher. He doesn’t have an elite get-off, but he has very active hands and an array of moves. He has a quick swipe move, inside spin and he can also bend/wrap at the top of his rush. I’d like to see him develop more power, but he still has a lot to work with. He is very effective on loops and games. He does need to improve versus the run. as he sometimes plays too high and gets uprooted. Overall, Gross-Matos offers double-digit sack potential but he does need to add strength at the next level.

2020 NFL Draft position rankings - Michael Renner

DEFENSIVE INTERIOR

1. Derrick Brown, Auburn

2. Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina

3. Jordan Elliott, Missouri

4. Ross Blacklock, TCU

5. Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M

6. Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma

7. Davon Hamilton, Ohio State

8. Raekwon Davis, Alabama

9. James Lynch, Baylor

10. Bravvion Roy, Baylor

EDGE

1. Chase Young, Ohio State

2. A.J. Epenesa, Iowa

3. Curtis Weaver, Boise State

4. Julian Okwara, Notre Dame

5. K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU

6. Darrell Taylor, Tennessee

7. Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State

8. Terrell Lewis, Alabama

9. Josh Uche, Michigan

10. Bradlee Anae, Utah