The Baltimore Ravens have committed significant resources to building around MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
There night not have been a better fit in free agency this offseason than the Ravens signing bruising, former rushing champion running back Derrick Henry, and, the receiving corps features dynamic playmakers in Rashod Bateman and emerging second-year star Zay Flowers.
Even though Baltimore suffered significant losses on defense this offseason, one of the Ravens’ newcomers to Jackson’s supporting cast may be exactly what the franchise needs to defend its AFC North Crown.
Is Devontez Walker the next Baltimore Ravens Breakout Star?
Jim Wyman and Dalton Wasserman put together a list, for Pro Football Focus, of every team’s rookie to watch this season, selecting fourth-round pick Devontez Walker for the Ravens.
“Due to how thin the Ravens’ receiving room is,” Wyman and Wasserman write. “There is ample opportunity for someone to step up and steal a starting role and Devontez Walker seems most primed to make that leap. At one point considered a first-round prospect, Walker fell to the fourth round after an inconsistent 2023 that saw him miss time due to NCAA eligibility issues. Walker ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash so he has the speed to take the top off defenses and make plays for this Ravens offense.”
Given that Odell Beckham Jr. is now a Miami Dolphin, there is definitely a chance for Walker to push for a role with starter-quality snaps.
After all, last season at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, Walker caught 41 passes for 699 yards and seven touchdowns, with the kind of breakaway speed to develop into a more than worthy complement on the perimeter to Flowers’ speed that can take the top off a secondary.
If Walker ultimately cracks the starting lineup as a rookie, he’ll be one of the bigger value selections to emerge from this year’s draft.
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