2021 WR Thread

[JoeyFlex5]

With the prospects of seeing a full NFL playoffs looking bleaker by the day, and with the Ravens in complete disarray, what better time for the comprehensive thread for our annual biggest draft need for the 25th consecutive year.

Ja'Marr Chase
Devonta Smith
Jaylen Waddle
Rondale Moore
Seth Williams
Rashod Bateman
Terrace Marshall Jr
Amon-Ra St. Brown

these are the names most commonly brought up in the first/second round conveesation, the first 3 are almost certain top 20 picks. Williams, Bateman, Marshall, and St Brown are guys i love for the ravens, i really like all of them, st brown is a sharp and explosive well rounded receiver with a chip on his shoulder, rashod bateman is a bigger body who runs the full route tree and catches everything in and out of coverage, seth williams is a huge body with abnormal speed/agility/acceleration and is absolutely dominant at the point of the catch, terrace marshall is a bullish receiver who is just in a class of his own when it comes to boxing out and being too much man for the db to handle, highly skilled and physical catcher of the ball with surprising movement.

 

[rossihunter2]

idk about the "tier 2" guys yet because ive not seen much of them but I feel fairly confident that Devonta Smith is finishing as WR 1 for me - I don't really think it's close between him and Chase

if anything the only real threat to him for WR 1 is Jaylen Waddle right now and obviously his injury impacts it all

 

[JoeyFlex5]

idk about the "tier 2" guys yet because ive not seen much of them but I feel fairly confident that Devonta Smith is finishing as WR 1 for me - I don't really think it's close between him and Chase

if anything the only real threat to him for WR 1 is Jaylen Waddle right now and obviously his injury impacts it all

any chance the Chase opt-out is hurting your opinion?

 

[rossihunter2]

any chance the Chase opt-out is hurting your opinion?

not really - it hurts him in the sense that he cant really improve my feelings on him - never loved Chase vs press, don't think he's that great a route runner or blazing speed

think Smith's a better route runner, quicker, better vs press, probably faster top end speed too

so the chase opt-out hasnt hurt my opinion on him but it's stopped him from showing me he's improved those aspects of his game if that makes sense?

 

[Willbacker]

If its my choice it would be Waddle all the way but I find it hard to believe he will out of top 15. He's got better hands than what he's given credt for. The one game I watched USC play which was against Arizona St Brown was very sharp.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

gonna say something bold here...

terrace marshall will be the best receiver out of this class.

when i watch these guys, there is one receiver that i see that looks potentially unstoppable, terrace marshall, he is just so dominant at the catch point and he has excellent feet and quickness that you really dont expect for a guy whos so broad and physical and powerful. hes just that alpha receiver thats gonna constantly be making great catches and bailing out his qb, moving chains, redzone contested catches, big plays down the sideline when singled up, hes just one of the only guys i think can do all of this at the next level. i think devonta smith will struggle with gthe physicality of the nfl at times, as will rondale moore, i think waddle may be a hot and cold guy who needs to be schemed up at times, i think seth williams needs to keep his chest low off the line and needs to develop himself vs press coverage, rashod bateman looks like another stud to me but idk he only kinda moves the needle for me, idk why lol.

i think very highly of this kid and i think hes the ideal wr for us just based on what exactly we feel we need from a receiver, the guy to complement hollywood and duvernay clearly needs to be big and physical and a supreme competitor while the ball is in the air with all the natural ability to deliver in that moment.

 

[rossihunter2]

Devonta Smith went off again - the only negative trait he has is he's a bit thin in stature

he has every other trait you would/could possibly want in a WR at this point and he has the production to match it

 

[Bama Ravens]

I really think we need to go after Devonta Smith if he’s available. I know I’m an Alabama fan pumping an Alabama guy, but Smith has everything you could hope for in a wide receiver. On the field, he runs smooth routes, he has great hands, and he’s elusive. All of this indicates how threatening he is in the short and mid-range passing game. That’s not all, though, this guy is a burner who is a true deep threat. And he can make all of the catches and run all of the routes. Off the field, he has stepped up as one of the main leaders of this year’s Alabama team. He is quiet and leads by example. Anybody can bust in the NFL, but I’m telling you guys, I truly believe Smitty is the real deal. He’s the kind of guy you want on your team. He can make the Ravens better on the field and in the locker room.

 

[rossihunter2]

I really think we need to go after Devonta Smith if he’s available. I know I’m an Alabama fan pumping an Alabama guy, but Smith has everything you could hope for in a wide receiver. On the field, he runs smooth routes, he has great hands, and he’s elusive. All of this indicates how threatening he is in the short and mid-range passing game. That’s not all, though, this guy is a burner who is a true deep threat. And he can make all of the catches and run all of the routes. Off the field, he has stepped up as one of the main leaders of this year’s Alabama team. He is quiet and leads by example. Anybody can bust in the NFL, but I’m telling you guys, I truly believe Smitty is the real deal. He’s the kind of guy you want on your team. He can make the Ravens better on the field and in the locker room.

it would be amazing but honestly at this rate im not sure he makes it out of the top 10 - i havent even started studying players yet so cant say for sure because i dont know who else would go in those spots but he for sure seems to have everything you could possibly want in a WR prospect

he's a better prospect than both ruggs and jeudy who both went top 15

 

[LSURavenFan]

Literally, the only silver lining to missing the playoffs, you could have a shot at some offensive help.

I think Smith could be the top WR off the board, with Waddle's injury and Chase not playing for 16 months by draft day.

If the Ravens miss, they are picking 17th or 18th. I doubt a Smith/Waddle/Chase is available. Only sliver of hope would be teams going crazy for QB's. NE, CHI, WSH would pick before the Ravens and could all reach for a QB.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Devonta Smith went off again - the only negative trait he has is he's a bit thin in stature

he has every other trait you would/could possibly want in a WR at this point and he has the production to match it

I agree, if we had taken metcalf or aj brown in 2019, I’d be hoping for a trade up for Smith.

I just don’t know that he improves our offense that much because I don’t see him as a true X receiver, and I’ve always been against pigeonholing receivers into a role or label, but at this point we kinda can’t get by like this anymore, duvernay was never gonna be a guy who can dominate the boundary, and it’s very apparent that Hollywood will never be that guy either, so now I feel like it’s time we start pigeonholing wr prospects when targeting them because we can’t just add another guy who should live in the slot and then send them deep down the sideline all the time.

with our receivers, if they’re out wide, hold inside leverage and the play is basically over, it takes a rare kind of ball placement to hit Hollywood down the sideline when the db has inside leverage. Smith doesn’t look like a guy who’s gonna fix that problem, Marshall and Bateman look more like those guys.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Literally, the only silver lining to missing the playoffs, you could have a shot at some offensive help.

I think Smith could be the top WR off the board, with Waddle's injury and Chase not playing for 16 months by draft day.

If the Ravens miss, they are picking 17th or 18th. I doubt a Smith/Waddle/Chase is available. Only sliver of hope would be teams going crazy for QB's. NE, CHI, WSH would pick before the Ravens and could all reach for a QB.

You being an LSU guy, how do you feel about terrace Marshall for the ravens?

 

[rossihunter2]

I agree, if we had taken metcalf or aj brown in 2019, I’d be hoping for a trade up for Smith.

I just don’t know that he improves our offense that much because I don’t see him as a true X receiver, and I’ve always been against pigeonholing receivers into a role or label, but at this point we kinda can’t get by like this anymore, duvernay was never gonna be a guy who can dominate the boundary, and it’s very apparent that Hollywood will never be that guy either, so now I feel like it’s time we start pigeonholing wr prospects when targeting them because we can’t just add another guy who should live in the slot and then send them deep down the sideline all the time.

with our receivers, if they’re out wide, hold inside leverage and the play is basically over, it takes a rare kind of ball placement to hit Hollywood down the sideline when the db has inside leverage. Smith doesn’t look like a guy who’s gonna fix that problem, Marshall and Bateman look more like those guys.

i mean i get it but im not gonna advocate taking a worse prospect just because they fit the profile better - if devonta smith was there there's no way i would pass him up for a marshall or bateman (from what ive seen so far) no matter the physical profile

yes it would be great to give lamar someone on the outside who can create a larger margin for error and also make the most of those 1v1 looks but it should also be said that lamar is pretty good at getting the ball to guys who are open and devonta smith is someone who very much gets himself open

i get that our options in the slot are way better than our options outside but Smith can play inside and outside

i just think he looks like he might be a future superstar and that's not the kind of player you should be turning down because you have a need for a slightly different type of receiver

 

[Bama Ravens]

I agree, if we had taken metcalf or aj brown in 2019, I’d be hoping for a trade up for Smith.

I just don’t know that he improves our offense that much because I don’t see him as a true X receiver, and I’ve always been against pigeonholing receivers into a role or label, but at this point we kinda can’t get by like this anymore, duvernay was never gonna be a guy who can dominate the boundary, and it’s very apparent that Hollywood will never be that guy either, so now I feel like it’s time we start pigeonholing wr prospects when targeting them because we can’t just add another guy who should live in the slot and then send them deep down the sideline all the time.

with our receivers, if they’re out wide, hold inside leverage and the play is basically over, it takes a rare kind of ball placement to hit Hollywood down the sideline when the db has inside leverage. Smith doesn’t look like a guy who’s gonna fix that problem, Marshall and Bateman look more like those guys.

I know I’m pumping an Alabama guy, but I’m telling you, Smith can pretty much do whatever we would need him to do. He’s done a variety of things over his four years at Alabama, from playing outside and being a deep threat to playing inside and being a short and mid-range threat across the middle. The guy also has a willingness to run block that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in any other wide receiver (especially a top 10 draft pick WR). We need a guy who can be a deep threat, but also can do a variety of other things.

Smith probably won’t be there when the Ravens pick, but if he is he is absolutely the guy to take. There may be other guys who seem to “fit the profile” better, but Smith can do a wider variety of things than any other receiver in this draft. And no one will outwork him.

 

[rossihunter2]

The guy also has a willingness to run block that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in any other wide receiver (especially a top 10 draft pick WR). We need a guy who can be a deep threat, but also can do a variety of other things.

i get the sentiments and he's definitely willing (all the bama wrs seem to enjoy each others success so block for each other)

but he's definitely nowhere near the most willing or effective or engaged run blocker

obviously that's only a small part of the game but there are tons of better and more willing run blocker WR prospects even the last couple of years lol - Denzel Mims is a great example of what a WR run blocking prospect can look like lol

 

[Bama Ravens]

i get the sentiments and he's definitely willing (all the bama wrs seem to enjoy each others success so block for each other)

but he's definitely nowhere near the most willing or effective or engaged run blocker

obviously that's only a small part of the game but there are tons of better and more willing run blocker WR prospects even the last couple of years lol - Denzel Mims is a great example of what a WR run blocking prospect can look like lol

I don’t mean to say Smith is the best run blocker, I bring the point up to point out how much he cares about the team and how hard he works. He cares about performing in every aspect of the game, not just about catching the big passes that make the highlight shows.

 

[LSURavenFan]

You being an LSU guy, how do you feel about terrace Marshall for the ravens?

I would love Terrace Marshall. With Chase opting out at the start of the year, Marshall faced the best DB's every week and didn't disappoint. He was literally the only bright spot for LSU.

I gotta be careful here, because Jefferson has been great... but I think Marshall has the ability to be a productive rookie like Jefferson has done in MIN.

 

[rossihunter2]

I would love Terrace Marshall. With Chase opting out at the start of the year, Marshall faced the best DB's every week and didn't disappoint. He was literally the only bright spot for LSU.

I gotta be careful here, because Jefferson has been great... but I think Marshall has the ability to be a productive rookie like Jefferson has done in MIN.

hmmm idk about that lol - Jefferson was a pretty outstanding nfl prospect - had him as a top 15 prospect (ahead of henry ruggs) - not sure marshall's close to that from what ive seen so far in terms of projection to the NFL as an instant impact pro

for sure he's put some impressive plays on tape and i'll preface this all with the fact that ive done no actual tape study yet of this year's prospects (only catching stuff live and some clips) but from what ive seen so far he's not really in jefferson's category of prospect

 

[JoeyFlex5]

i mean i get it but im not gonna advocate taking a worse prospect just because they fit the profile better - if devonta smith was there there's no way i would pass him up for a marshall or bateman (from what ive seen so far) no matter the physical profile

yes it would be great to give lamar someone on the outside who can create a larger margin for error and also make the most of those 1v1 looks but it should also be said that lamar is pretty good at getting the ball to guys who are open and devonta smith is someone who very much gets himself open

i get that our options in the slot are way better than our options outside but Smith can play inside and outside

i just think he looks like he might be a future superstar and that's not the kind of player you should be turning down because you have a need for a slightly different type of receiver

I’m not so sure one is inherently worse than the other though... that’s how highly I think of Marshall lol

I know I’m pumping an Alabama guy, but I’m telling you, Smith can pretty much do whatever we would need him to do. He’s done a variety of things over his four years at Alabama, from playing outside and being a deep threat to playing inside and being a short and mid-range threat across the middle. The guy also has a willingness to run block that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in any other wide receiver (especially a top 10 draft pick WR). We need a guy who can be a deep threat, but also can do a variety of other things.

Smith probably won’t be there when the Ravens pick, but if he is he is absolutely the guy to take. There may be other guys who seem to “fit the profile” better, but Smith can do a wider variety of things than any other receiver in this draft. And no one will outwork him.

I get it, I have liked smith since last year, I just really hate the thought of having 2 starting receivers at 170 lbs lol, would you or @rossihunter2 consider him to be adept at winning leverage throughout the stem of the route against physical press corners? Because if a guy isn’t absolutely adept at that then I’m not sure he’s my favorite wr for us

I would love Terrace Marshall. With Chase opting out at the start of the year, Marshall faced the best DB's every week and didn't disappoint. He was literally the only bright spot for LSU.

I gotta be careful here, because Jefferson has been great... but I think Marshall has the ability to be a productive rookie like Jefferson has done in MIN.

man I was such a big jefferson fan, he was one of the most sure fire wrs I’ve ever seen, like there’s plenty of wrs I like but I don’t necessarily think they’re a sure thing, Jefferson I thought was as much of a sure thing as anyone

 

[rossihunter2]

I’m not so sure one is inherently worse than the other though... that’s how highly I think of Marshall lol

I get it, I have liked smith since last year, I just really hate the thought of having 2 starting receivers at 170 lbs lol, would you or @rossihunter2 consider him to be adept at winning leverage throughout the stem of the route against physical press corners? Because if a guy isn’t absolutely adept at that then I’m not sure he’s my favorite wr for us
man I was such a big jefferson fan, he was one of the most sure fire wrs I’ve ever seen, like there’s plenty of wrs I like but I don’t necessarily think they’re a sure thing, Jefferson I thought was as much of a sure thing as anyone

in terms of leverage smith can absolutely destroy a CB's leverage
not 100% sure about press yet because i havent seen much of anyone get hands on him yet - the closest i can find so far are a couple of clips from this thread vs stingley in the 2019 matchup but stingley doesnt get hands on (and doesnt try that much either)



- but im pretty sure there'll be tons of tape of it to find because i found this from PFF and it was apparently a very similar number last year too:



now i will say that from what ive seen so far he doesnt have that many varied releases (but again that's just from what ive seen so far which is obviously not a ton) but he's been lethal statistically from press

if a team thinks devonta smith can be up at 190 or 200 lbs in the NFL then he's for sure going top 10

i wouldnt worry about the 170lbs issue though because he doesnt play like it - he out-physicals guys, he beats press, he doesnt shy away from hits over the middle and attempting to break tackles etc.

and jefferson was one of the most pro-ready nfl WR prospects you can have - he and jeudy were the class of the WR class in that regard this year