Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens traded with Philadelphia to take Jackson at No. 32 – the final pick of the third round. At the time, many were suggesting the Louisville product move to wide receiver or running back in the NFL. But the Ravens viewed him as a quarterback.

“He was obviously fast and the big-play capability was evident,’’ the scout said. “But he was inaccurate. Even at his pro day, where there is no pass rush and no defensive backs, he was inaccurate.’’

Jackson has turned out to be one heck of a quarterback and the best of the 2018 class. As a rookie, he showed enough to convince the Ravens to part with veteran Joe Flacco. In 2019, Jackson exploded. He threw for a league-leading 36 touchdowns with just six interceptions, and also ran for 1,206 yards — a single-season record for a quarterback — and seven touchdowns.

“Give him tons of credit for working so hard to become an accurate passer,’’ the scout said. “He really worked to get better. But also give (Baltimore offensive coordinator) Greg Roman a ton of credit for making him more accurate and putting him into plays where he can succeed. It’s ironic because coming into the draft nobody, except the Ravens, wanted Jackson. Now, anybody would gladly take him.’’

 

Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.