John Harbaugh is excited about the Ravens wide receiver group

The Baltimore Ravens’ wide receiver corps has largely remained intact from last season’s much-improved unit. The biggest exception is losing veteran Odell Beckham Jr. and adding Devontez Walker in the fourth round of the draft. Ravens head coach …

The Baltimore Ravens’ wide receiver corps has largely remained intact from last season’s much-improved unit. The biggest exception is losing veteran Odell Beckham Jr. and adding Devontez Walker in the fourth round of the draft. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expressed excitement over the group’s potential this season when speaking with the media following the draft.

I’m excited about the wide receiver position,” Harbaugh said. “I’m looking forward to seeing this offense come together, and we’ve been working the personnel side of it; we’ve been working the scheme side of it; we’ve been working with the individual players – developmentally. You put all those things together, and you get out there, and you start practicing, and you get ready to play games. This is a very talented group, and anybody that wants to challenge that, bring it on; you’ve got to line up and play against us, and we’ll see if we don’t have playmakers out there running around [and] making plays. I’m personally very excited about this group. Obviously, ‘Tez’ [Devontez Walker] is a great addition, and the guys that are already there are going to really have good seasons. So, we’re ready to go.

Baltimore signed 2021 first-round wide receiver Rashod Bateman to an extension before the draft to keep him in Baltimore through the 2026 season. The team re-signed veteran Nelson Agholor to a one-year deal just before the start of free agency while later signing wide receiver and All-Pro returner Deonte Harty. Other returning players at the position include Zay Flowers, Tylan Wallace, and Sean Ryan.

 

Devontez Walker’s dream of playing with Lamar Jackson has come to fruition

The Baltimore Ravens selected speedy wide receiver Devontez Walker with the No. 113 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The North Carolina wideout will join an offense helmed by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson at quarterback. Walker …

The Baltimore Ravens selected speedy wide receiver Devontez Walker with the No. 113 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The North Carolina wideout will join an offense helmed by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson at quarterback. Walker was asked what he thought about catching passes from Jackson when speaking with the media following his selection in the draft.

It’s definitely an honor,” Walker said. “I’ve been watching Lamar since he came out of high school, watched him at Louisville. I think he’s a great football player. He’s somebody that I wished I was on his team, and now that wish is coming true. He’s a great player. I love watching him, so I’m looking forward to being alongside of him.

Walker brings a downfield threat that the Ravens have lacked since trading away wide receiver Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals during the 2022 NFL Draft. With veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. no longer on the team, Baltimore will need another receiver to step up and replace his production. Walker will have the chance to earn playing time as a rookie in a wide receiver corps headlined by Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Nelson Agholor.

 

Eric DeCosta talks about exceptional value from Ravens 2024 draft class

The Baltimore Ravens were able to draft a number of players much later than many expected them to come off the board during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Ravens selected cornerback, Nate Wiggins, outside linebacker Adisa Isaac, wide receiver Devontez …

The Baltimore Ravens were able to draft a number of players much later than many expected them to come off the board during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Ravens selected cornerback, Nate Wiggins, outside linebacker Adisa Isaac, wide receiver Devontez Walker, and cornerback T.J. Tampa later than their position on the consensus big board put together by Wide Left Football’s Arif Hasan.

Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta was asked if he felt the Ravens got exceptional value with their 2024 draft class.

I do. I think that this was one year that the board – you’ll often hear me say, ‘Oh man, we had a chance; we missed out on some guys,’ but this year, we were patient,” DeCosta said. “And the board – more often than not, not in every single case – but the best player was at a position of need. So, we basically started just checking off boxes, working our way down through each pick. We were basically able to just cross them off, cross them off, cross them off with a really good player. So, from that standpoint, I think it was good. It was really good. I think the coaches and the scouts – we did a good job communicating. One of the things that we have is a dialogue throughout the Draft – this guy or that guy, what do we think and how does this guy fit? You might have two players at different positions, and they’re graded the same. And, you’re trying to figure out, how do you split hairs between these two players, and you do it with talking to your coaches. You do it looking at the analytics, but you also do it looking at the players that you might get in the next round or moving back. And what does that pool of players look like at those positions? This year, I think it worked out really well.

Baltimore needs their rookie class to contribute early on after losing several quality players to free agency this offseason.

Ravens director of college scouting David Blackburn talks about WR Devontez Walker

The Baltimore Ravens added an explosive playmaker to their offense on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker with the No. 113 overall pick in the fourth round. Ravens director of college scouting David …

The Baltimore Ravens added an explosive playmaker to their offense on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker with the No. 113 overall pick in the fourth round.

Ravens director of college scouting David Blackburn talked about Walker’s skillset following the draft.

He just has vertical explosiveness [and] the ability to get behind coverage, take the top off the defense, make big plays,” Blackburn said. “He is a threat, and he also does it at his size. He’s not a small guy, and he doesn’t play small downfield. He can put pressure on the defense, and he’s able to make some contested catches downfield. I think that bodes well for our offense and our quarterback. He didn’t really have the week that he wanted in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, but [his] pro day was great, his Combine was great. The thing that I really like most about him is that he’s encountered some athletic adversity in his life, and he’s overcome. And, he’s a really mentally tough kid, as well as physically tough. He works at his craft, and he’s a great teammate. So, outside of those physical traits that he has, he has a lot of intangibles as well.

Walker will compete for snaps in a wide receiver corps consisting of Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace, Deonte Harty, and Sean Ryan.

Devontez Walker talks about facing Nate Wiggins in college

The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2024 NFL Draft with nine total selections. Two of the Ravens’ draft picks are already familiar with each other after having faced off in college. When speaking with the media, fourth-round North Carolina wide …

The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2024 NFL Draft with nine total selections. Two of the Ravens’ draft picks are already familiar with each other after having faced off in college. When speaking with the media, fourth-round North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker was asked about his matchup with first-round Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins.

[Nate Wiggins] was a very good player,” Walker said. “Honestly, he’s probably the best player I’ve ever went against. He was very fluid in his technique, very fast – he was one of the few guys that was hip-for-hip with me. I’m glad to be able to compete against him every day. Going against him, it was a fun game. He’s a great player, and I’m looking forward to going against him every day in practice.

Walker and Wiggins will now have the chance to put on a show against one another in offseason practices. Both will start the season behind other players on the depth chart but will certainly see playing time at some point during their rookie season.

How did the Ravens do in draft value relative to the 2024 consensus board?

The Ravens selected nine players in the 2024 NFL draft, with Eric DeCosta getting great value from four of his first six picks. Value is an integral part of the draft process. Understanding the board is vital to judging how teams maximized value …

The Ravens selected nine players in the 2024 NFL draft, with Eric DeCosta getting great value from four of his first six picks.

Value is an integral part of the draft process. Understanding the board is vital to judging how teams maximized value during the draft.

Establishing actual “value” on NFL draft prospects is incredibly difficult, with all 32 NFL teams having different schemes, cultures, and ideas of what elite talent looks like.

Arif Hasan of Wide Left Football creates the go-to consensus board, ranking the top 300 players in the draft class based on 101 big boards from draft analysts. As Hasan noted, “the consensus of these experts does a better predictive job than individual experts.”

With the draft now final, here are Baltimore’s picks, consensus rank, pick number, and the difference between the two.

Consensus rank: 24

Pick number: 30

Difference: +6


Consensus rank: 75

Pick number: 62

Difference: -13


Consensus rank: 66

Pick number: 93

Difference: +27


Consensus rank: 82

Pick number: 113

Difference: +31


Consensus rank: 55

Pick number: 130

Difference: +75

WATCH: Devontez Walker’s emotional NFL draft call with Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens added another weapon for quarterback Lamar Jackson by selecting the speedy wide receiver Devontez Walker out of North Carolina with the No. 113 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. As usual, one of the best …

The Baltimore Ravens added another weapon for quarterback Lamar Jackson by selecting the speedy wide receiver Devontez Walker out of North Carolina with the No. 113 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

As usual, one of the best parts of following the draft is the heartwarming videos that emerge of players when they receive the awaited life-changing phone call that they will be drafted. Walker’s emotional reaction when speaking with Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh was one of those special moments captured on video.

Walker will join a receiving corps in Baltimore, headlined by Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Nelson Agholor. The Ravens needed a viable deep threat for Jackson, and Walker will have the chance to fill that role.

 

 

Ravens select UNC WR Devontez Walker with No. 113 overall pick in 2024 NFL draft

With Baltimore in a position to draft the best player available, GM Eric DeCosta added a wide receiver to the roster in the fourth round. The Ravens selected UNC wide receiver DeVontez Walker with the 113th overall pick. Welcome to Baltimore, …

With Baltimore in a position to draft the best player available, GM Eric DeCosta added a wide receiver to the roster in the fourth round.

The Ravens selected UNC wide receiver DeVontez Walker with the 113th overall pick.

Walker is a legit vertical threat with 4.36 speed who is still developing his route tree, and the ability to beat press coverage.

Walker had 41 catches for 699 yards and seven touchdowns in his final season with the Tarheels after he Missed four games over eligibility issue.

Tez Walker selected No. 113 by Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens select Tez Walker out of North Carolina in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

From “Free Tez” chants for wrongfully being sidelined to lining up on Sundays, [autotag]Devontez Walker[/autotag] story just got better after being selected with the No. 113  pick in 2024 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

Walker won’t have to leap over any eligibility huddles anymore, finding his new home with the Ravens. Walker might’ve not been Tar Heel long, but the fight he endured just to get on the field stamped his legacy and brought the nation together.

The Ravens are a great fit for Walker, as he should serve as a reliable target for Lamar Jackson who is coming off another MVP season.

Walker first showed his skills at Kent University, having a breakout sophomore season with 921 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns (Most in MAC that season). The four-star recruit landed with UNC following the season, and despite missing significant time due he still finished seventh in the ACC for receiving touchdowns (7).

In the eight games Walker did play in, he showcased his elite footwork, snagging 41 catches for 699 receiving yards. He had a monstrous game against Virginia, catching 11 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. He had an even more dominate game in the win against Duke, exploding for 162 yards on seven catches (23.1 YPG).

Walker becomes the third Tar Heel drafted and went just a few picks after Cedric Gray.

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Cedric Gray, Tez Walker amongst best remaining NFL Draft prospects on Day 2

Will Cedric Gray and Tez Walker’s strong football careers at UNC land them decent spots in the 2024 NFL Draft?

Day 1 of the NFL Draft on Thursday, April 25 was no shortage of excitement.

Several teams found their quarterbacks of the future, the Carolina Panthers traded up to get their next big receiver and the Atlanta Falcons made a head-scratching selection at eighth overall, selecting Michael Penix Jr. after committing $100+ million to Kirk Cousins in the offseason.

One of the top names off the draft board was UNC football legend Drake Maye, who was selected third overall by the New England Patriots. Maye joins a storied AFC East franchise looking to get back to its early 2000s-glory.

Maye isn’t the only former North Carolina Tar Heel expected to be chosen in the NFL Draft.

Just moments ahead of Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, April 26, UNC linebacker Cedric Gray and wide receiver Tez Walker are ranked amongst USA Today’s 125 best remaining NFL Draft prospects.

Gray, ranked 88th, earned First Team All-ACC Honors in each of the past two seasons. He led North Carolina with 121 tackles in 2023, one of two Tar Heels to hit the century mark (Power Echols), while also sacking opposing quarterbacks five times, generating seven quarterback hurries, four pass breakups, plus forcing a team-high two fumbles and recovering a team-high two.

Walker, ranked 109th, is one of the more underrated wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. He only played in eight games for the Tar Heels last year, but led them with seven receiving touchdowns while adding 699 receiving yards (second-most). Walker’s season was shortened due to initially being ruled ineligible, a decision which was eventually flipped.

According to Gray’s NFL Draft Scouting report, there’s a decent chance he gets selected tonight. If Walker isn’t selected today, he’ll definitely be gone by tomorrow.

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