Ravens 2023 draft: Staff reactions to Ravens picking WR Zay Flowers at No. 22 overall

With the 22nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens have selected Boston College WR Zay Flowers. Below, you’ll find the reactions from the Beatdown staff.

The hits keep on rolling., Hours after news broke that Baltimore had agreed to a long term extension with Lamar Jackson, the Ravens enter the modern era of NFL contention by selecting the best playmaker available.

While defensive purists, myself included, will lament the opportunity to draft a toolsy lockdown cornerback with the pick, Flowers checks a bunch of boxes. With the twitch to get off press, body control to shake defenders at the top of the stem and explosiveness to make defenders pay after the catch, Flowers offers inside-out positional versatility and splash play potential.

The Ravens arrow is pointing firmly up. A focus on acquiring pass defenders throughout the reminder of the offseason will propel the Ravens to the upper echelon of potential Super Bowl combatants. - Vasilis Lericos

The Ravens promised they’d take a wide receiver in this draft and we didn’t have to wait long as they land wide receiver Zay Flowers at No. 22 overall. Flowers ties a bow on the Ravens’ rebuilt wide receiver corps, as he, paired with Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor represent a strikingly different offense than what we’ve seen the past few seasons. Paired with quarterback Lamar Jackson and Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken, the Ravens may have a top five offense in 2023. - Kyle Barber

Zay Flowers profiles as a instant playmaker with a versatile skill set. Taking a cornerback seemed like a plausible option here as well with both Deonte Banks and Joey Porter Jr. still available, but Flowers adds another element of speed, explosion and yards-after-catch ability to the Ravens’ new-look receiving core.

Flowers is the climax of Eric DeCosta’s offseason commitment to rebuilding the team’s wide receiver room. Lamar Jackson now has a diverse and talented group of pass-catchers to throw to, as does Todd Monken to deploy in his offensive system. - Frank Platko

After finally locking up Lamar Jackson for the foreseeable future earlier today, the Ravens give him another weapon at the wide receiver position. Flowers will not need to produce from Day 1 with guys like Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, and Nelson Agholor already on the roster.

Cornerback may have been a bigger need for Baltimore here, but you can never go wrong with surrounding your MVP quarterback with as many weapons as possible. New offensive coordinator Todd Monken will have no shortage of firepower at his disposal this season. With Beckham and Agholor both only under contract with the team for one season, this is also a move for the future. - Dustin Cox

Flowers is Steve Smith Sr 2.0. Little dude that’s going to fight his butt off.

Comparisons to Marquise Brown because of size will happen but couldn’t be farther from the truth. Flowers has the attitude that Brown lacked and will look and fight for extra yards after the catch. A firecracker player, Flowers is capable of deep tracking for big shots and taking the small passes for extra yards. He’s also capable of taking over returning duties, making Duvernay somewhat obsolete. Look for a draft trade to acquire picks and load up the cornerback room. - Zach Canter

Wide receiver Zay Flowers gives the Baltimore Ravens offense an explosive element they’ve been lacking in the Lamar Jackson era. Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown was fast, but Flowers is a different beast in the open field. Drawing comparisons to superstar receiver Tyreek Hill, Flowers will be a great complement to the skill sets of Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, and Mark Andrews. Lamar Jackson finally has everything in place to return to MVP form with Baltimore’s revamped receiving core. - Stephen Bopst