Ravens’ rookie QB Devin Leary Draws High Praise from Tee Martin

Devin Leary looks likely to win the QB3 job over Emory Jones this summer

Tee Martin is a legend among all-time SEC quarterbacks. In 1998, he led the Tennessee Volunteers to a national title.

The current Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach, including Kentucky, has made several stops during his coaching career. This school produced quarterback Devin Leary, whom the Ravens selected in the sixth round of this year’s draft.

Martin served as Kentucky’s wide receivers coach in 2010, keeping that responsibility but also adding the title of passing game coordinator in 2011.

He’s also held this position with the Ravens during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Leary, who looks likely to win the QB3 job over Emory Jones this summer (Josh Johnson should be the QB2), has impressed Martin with his ability to pick up the playbook quickly.

Martin was asked how he thought Leary had looked thus far in camp. His response, via baltimoreravens.com, is below:

“[Devin Leary is] arm-talented, smart [and] competitive, [He] can make all the throws on the field, and he’s doing a really good job of learning the offense and executing the offense. He played in a pro-styled system at [the University of] Kentucky, his last year [after playing] four years at N.C State. [It’s] a different type of system, but we’re kind of a marriage of both. He’s comfortable in what we’re doing. [He’s] very talented, extremely talented. I look forward to him playing in the preseason.”

Leary isn’t the most mobile of quarterbacks, so how he fits in at Baltimore is tricky. If he is pressed into action, you won’t see the team calling many designed quarterback runs like they do when Lamar Jackson is taking the snaps.

After all, Leary finished his college career with -76 rushing yards.

The N.C. State system that Martin is referring to had more spread-option elements, and that experience should serve Leary well in running the Ravens system. So it is likely he makes the roster, but barring an injury crisis, he probably won’t play much.