Ravens Still Don't Get it it at WR

[ShaySharpe]

He's stepping back and asking why he takes strides like a god damn gazelle lol

Hello Cole

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

Hello Cole

Hello.

[Shas]

With all do respect, I am going to argue the Ravens finally do get it with wide receivers.

My definition of getting it is very simple: choosing receivers who catch everything.

This comment is going to pain a lot of people, but John Harbaugh has it exactly right. He has been saying this for a few years now. And now he seems to have a GM who is doing it.

What they should not be doing is prioritizing receivers who is a certain "type" -- I won't be distracted by the endless chatter about so-and-so receiver's top-end speed, size, catch radius, route running, twitchiness, YAC, 3-cone drill...you name it. I dont want to hear it until you have shown me how he consistently catches lots and lots of passes.

They finally started adhering to this philosophy when they took Hollywood last year.

We all had receivers we liked who we thought they may nab in the first or second round. My guy was Aiyuk. Yours may have been Lamb. Or Jefferson. Or Reagor. Or Mims.

The draft board may not have unfolded in a way that allowed your guy to be the pick. But that doesn't mean they "don't get it" when they valued Queen or Dobbins more than those players. Or that they didn't package picks to jump up to go get your guy.

The fact they drafted two receivers in Duvernay and Proche who do catch everything, and who were tops in college football in total receptions last year, tells me that now completely get it. The fact they didn't force the pick of an inconsistent hands guy like Reagor tells me they get it.

When it comes to receivers, every year there are surprises. Sammy Watkins versus Jarvis Landry in '14. Kevin White versus Tyler Lockett in '15. Corey Coleman v. Tyreek Hill in '16. John Ross v. Kenny Golladay in '17.

I'm happy with the last two drafts and happy to not be banking on Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree, John Brown, Mike Wallace, Kamar Aiken....
.

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

With all do respect, I am going to argue the Ravens finally do get it with wide receivers.

My definition of getting it is very simple: choosing receivers who catch everything.

This comment is going to pain a lot of people, but John Harbaugh has it exactly right. He has been saying this for a few years now. And now he seems to have a GM who is doing it.

What they should not be doing is prioritizing receivers who is a certain "type" -- I won't be distracted by the endless chatter about so-and-so receiver's top-end speed, size, catch radius, route running, twitchiness, YAC, 3-cone drill...you name it. I dont want to hear it until you have shown me how he consistently catches lots and lots of passes.

They finally started adhering to this philosophy when they took Hollywood last year.

We all had receivers we liked who we thought they may nab in the first or second round. My guy was Aiyuk. Yours may have been Lamb. Or Jefferson. Or Reagor. Or Mims.

The draft board may not have unfolded in a way that allowed your guy to be the pick. But that doesn't mean they "don't get it" when they valued Queen or Dobbins more than those players. Or that they didn't package picks to jump up to go get your guy.

The fact they drafted two receivers in Duvernay and Proche who do catch everything, and who were tops in college football in total receptions last year, tells me that now completely get it. The fact they didn't force the pick of an inconsistent hands guy like Reagor tells me they get it.

When it comes to receivers, every year there are surprises. Sammy Watkins versus Jarvis Landry in '14. Kevin White versus Tyler Lockett in '15. Corey Coleman v. Tyreek Hill in '16. John Ross v. Kenny Golladay in '17.

I'm happy with the last two drafts and happy to not be banking on Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree, John Brown, Mike Wallace, Kamar Aiken....
.

I think an argument can be made that they are finally selecting WRs that fit a vision.

Speed with hands. All 3 of their WRs are 4.45-4.3 guys. All 3 guys have relatively solid hands.

So, is it the best approach? Maybe not. But it's a blueprint that shows they get that they need to build an identity. IMO that's a start.

The Ravens passing gave thrived last year by making defense think too much. ANd what happened? Players got lost. Well, it's a lot easier to get lost when youi're fast as fuck.

So we'll see if it's the right approach, but the fact that it's an approach is enoguh for me to beleive they've learned something.

[JimZipCode]

With all do respect, I am going to argue the Ravens finally do get it with wide receivers.

My definition of getting it is very simple: choosing receivers who catch everything.

This comment is going to pain a lot of people, but John Harbaugh has it exactly right. He has been saying this for a few years now. And now he seems to have a GM who is doing it.

What they should not be doing is prioritizing receivers who is a certain "type" -- I won't be distracted by the endless chatter about so-and-so receiver's top-end speed, size, catch radius, route running, twitchiness, YAC, 3-cone drill...

Speed with hands. All 3 of their WRs are 4.45-4.3 guys. All 3 guys have relatively solid hands.
...
The Ravens passing gave thrived last year by making defense think too much. ANd what happened? Players got lost. Well, it's a lot easier to get lost when you're fast as fuck.

The way GWNR phrased it sounds more right to me.

It's tough to say the Ravens aren't prioritizing top-end speed, 3-cone, & twitchiness when you look at Marquise, Boykin & Duvernay. All have top-end speed for days; Boykin had an elite 3-cone score; and Marquise might be the twitchiest athlete in football. The Ravens are definitely trying to put more speed & wiggle on the field with Lamar.

But Shas is right that they're all sure-handed. That might even be more evident when you look at the late-round & undrafted guys: Antoine Wesley, Proche.

[Sarcasticfury]

With all do respect, I am going to argue the Ravens finally do get it with wide receivers.

My definition of getting it is very simple: choosing receivers who catch everything.

This comment is going to pain a lot of people, but John Harbaugh has it exactly right. He has been saying this for a few years now. And now he seems to have a GM who is doing it.

What they should not be doing is prioritizing receivers who is a certain "type" -- I won't be distracted by the endless chatter about so-and-so receiver's top-end speed, size, catch radius, route running, twitchiness, YAC, 3-cone drill...you name it. I dont want to hear it until you have shown me how he consistently catches lots and lots of passes.

They finally started adhering to this philosophy when they took Hollywood last year.

We all had receivers we liked who we thought they may nab in the first or second round. My guy was Aiyuk. Yours may have been Lamb. Or Jefferson. Or Reagor. Or Mims.

The draft board may not have unfolded in a way that allowed your guy to be the pick. But that doesn't mean they "don't get it" when they valued Queen or Dobbins more than those players. Or that they didn't package picks to jump up to go get your guy.

The fact they drafted two receivers in Duvernay and Proche who do catch everything, and who were tops in college football in total receptions last year, tells me that now completely get it. The fact they didn't force the pick of an inconsistent hands guy like Reagor tells me they get it.

When it comes to receivers, every year there are surprises. Sammy Watkins versus Jarvis Landry in '14. Kevin White versus Tyler Lockett in '15. Corey Coleman v. Tyreek Hill in '16. John Ross v. Kenny Golladay in '17.

I'm happy with the last two drafts and happy to not be banking on Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree, John Brown, Mike Wallace, Kamar Aiken....
.

And all the people said Amen.

[Shas]

The way GWNR phrased it sounds more right to me.

It's tough to say the Ravens aren't prioritizing top-end speed, 3-cone, & twitchiness when you look at Marquise, Boykin & Duvernay. All have top-end speed for days; Boykin had an elite 3-cone score; and Marquise might be the twitchiest athlete in football. The Ravens are definitely trying to put more speed & wiggle on the field with Lamar.

But Shas is right that they're all sure-handed. That might even be more evident when you look at the late-round & undrafted guys: Antoine Wesley, Proche.

Except I am not yet sold on Boykin being sure-handed. I know you disagree. I fear he is falls into the old trap of falling in love with "measurables" before checking off on the hands.

Which is why I see hands as 1 and speed (or whatever other variable) as 2. And not 1A and 1B.

Slight difference, and people are free to disagree, but it is a point I wanted to make.

[NjRavensFan]

Except I am not yet sold on Boykin being sure-handed. I know you disagree. I fear he is falls into the old trap of falling in love with "measurables" before checking off on the hands.

Which is why I see hands as 1 and speed (or whatever other variable) as 2. And not 1A and 1B.

Slight difference, and people are free to disagree, but it is a point I wanted to make.

Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

[edromeo]

Except I am not yet sold on Boykin being sure-handed. I know you disagree. I fear he is falls into the old trap of falling in love with "measurables" before checking off on the hands.

Which is why I see hands as 1 and speed (or whatever other variable) as 2. And not 1A and 1B.

Slight difference, and people are free to disagree, but it is a point I wanted to make.

I agree with you in that Boykin's certainly didn't show he had good hands last year.
But in college it was one of the strengths of his game.
iirc he had a lower drop% then Hollywood.

[WrongBaldy]

Better load up on em Boykin rookie cards

[NjRavensFan]

I agree with you in that Boykin's certainly didn't show he had good hands last year.
But in college it was one of the strengths of his game.
iirc he had a lower drop% then Hollywood.

Yeah I hope the shaky catch technique was related to his overthinking last year. His hands were definitely a strength in college, but you’d have no idea from what he looked like last year

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

Agreed with Ed.

When I refer to sure handedness, I'm referring to them as prospects.

The hope, like with any issues of dropping the ball, it fixes itself with maturity. IMO from his college team it was not a consistent problem, nor was there a catching technique issue present (the good ole technique issue).

I do think the problem was the speed and his adjustment to the speed, but like any player, will his mind catch up to his body? All we can do is speculate. This young man needs to prove it and he'll get every opportunity to do so.

I should also note that when I refer to sure handedness I think it's in the context of speedier players that are downfield threats. The reality is that those catches are lower %, especially in CFB where there's so many bad QBs. Doesn't make drops excusable, but I don't necessarily need Proche-like drop %'s. Brown, Boykin and Duv all had accpetable drops rates for me. I think Brown was the highest of the 3 around 8.0 drop %. Boykin was 4.9 IIRC and Duv was 2.5 (a lot of screens, but still)