Tag: 2024 nfl draft underrated players

Baltimore Ravens’ best sleeper pick: Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina

New Ravens receiver Devontez Walker beat the NCAA, and now, he’ll look to beat NFL cornerbacks with the same level of determination.

Devontez Walker’s story is one of the more interesting of anybody’s in this draft class, and it’s Reason No. 7,382,469 that the NCAA is utterly ridiculous. Injuries and the COVID year prevented Walker from becoming a factor early in his collegiate career, but he a good 2022 season at Kent State. Walker then wanted to transfer to North Carolina to be close to his ailing grandmother, but the NCAA denied his request. Walker threatened to sue the NCAA, and the NCAA did what most bullies do when threatened — it backed down.

With that, and despite the fact that he didn’t see action until Week 6 of the 2023 season, Walker still caught 41 passes on 66 targets for 699 yards and seven touchdowns from third-overall pick Drake Maye. The Ravens stole him with the 113th overall pick in the fourth round, and there’s no telling how much higher he would have gone with a less complicated story. But he’s an X receiver in the right system.

“With ‘Tez,’ you get really a vertical receiver, size and speed,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said. “In some ways, [he] reminds me of a Torrey Smith-type of player – an outside, take-the-top-off, vertical threat with good size, and phenomenal kid, excellent jumping ability.”

Atlanta Falcons’ best sleeper pick: Casey Washington, WR, Illinois

New Falcons receiver Casey Washington from Illinois could be a real sleeper pick with a fully-developed “big/fast” athletic profile.

Falcons GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris spent most of their draft pressers trying to explain the whole Kirk Cousins/Michael Penix Jr. situation, but they were eager to talk about the addition of Illinois receiver Casey Washington when the subject came around.

“39 and a half inch vertical – prototype, size, speed,” Fontenot said of Washington. “He has measurables. He has traits. We spent time with him. We love the makeup. Plays with a chip on his shoulder. He’s a competitor. We know he’ll be able to contribute in other areas as well.”

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Washington, who was somehow not invited to the scouting combine, went to Atlanta with the 187th pick in the sixth round. What did Atlanta like about Washington that they didn’t already have? Well, Washington is a big, vertical receiver who has an especially good grasp of corner and fade routes — the kinds of things that take cornerbacks where they don’t necessarily want to go against a big, fast dude.

Last season, Washington caught four passes of 20 or more air yards on just nine targets for 165 yards and a touchdown. Target share may be an issue in the regular season, but if Penix is throwing the ball in the preseason, Washington should put on a show.