Just hours after agreeing Thursday to a five-year deal with Lamar Jackson, ending a difficult standoff with their star quarterback, the Ravens selected Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round of the NFL draft.
The 5-foot-9, 182-pound Flowers, a South Florida native, comes to Baltimore after a very productive college career. He finished with 200 catches for 3,056 yards and 29 touchdowns in four seasons at Boston College, choosing to remain loyal to the program despite opportunities to transfer to a better team. Now he joins Jackson, fellow wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman and tight end Mark Andrews in a passing attack that looks to take a significant step forward under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
“I can do whatever you need me to do,” Flowers said Thursday night. “I can run every route you give me; I can separate; I can make competitive catches. Whatever you have to do to play on the outside, I feel like I can do, and I can do it at a high level.”
Here’s a roundup of how draft analysts graded the Ravens’ pick:
“The re-signing of Lamar Jackson to a five-year, $260 million contract got the Ravens off to a nice start on Day 1. They added to everyone’s happiness when selecting Flowers, a downfield threat and zone-eater over the middle who can take a quick throw from the former MVP and take it the distance. Once again, the Ravens stayed patient and got a good player.”
“They needed to get a young receiver for their new offense under Todd Monken. I like Jordan Addison more, but this is a good move. Flowers is a really good player who was hurt by bad quarterback play at Boston College.”
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski: A
“Flowers isn’t just a straight-line speedster. He knows how to throttle down and keep defensive backs off balance. He creates after the catch or when things break down for his quarterback. Boston College’s all-time leading receiver may not have been in the best situation to fully spotlight his skill set, but it still became apparent over time. He’ll be in a far better situation with a happy Lamar Jackson leading the way for the Baltimore Ravens. … Baltimore’s run game will still be deadly, but the passing attack is now a legitimate threat with all the Ravens’ newfound talent at wide receiver.”
Pro Football Focus: Average
“Flowers is shifty, knows how to separate and complements the Ravens’ wide receiver room well. He can replace the production they lost from trading ‘Hollywood’ Brown last year, with Flowers racking up 500 receiving yards on throws 20-plus yards downfield in 2022.”
The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman: A-
“The Ravens were thin at receiver, and the electrifying Flowers happened to fall in their laps. It seems to happen every year in Baltimore, and it did this year, too.
“Flowers was the only player on Boston College’s roster who could scare defenses, and still nobody could stop him. He’ll do the same thing with the Ravens.”
“The Ravens are having themselves a day. A few hours after inking Lamar Jackson to a long-term deal, Baltimore turns around and grabs its quarterback a brand-new playmaking pass catcher. Flowers is jitterbug quick and plays bigger than his listed size (5-foot-9, 182 pounds), offering both lid-lifting speed and run-after-the-catch talent. The Ravens’ new-look offense under Todd Monken is going to be must-see TV this fall.”
USA TODAY’s Christian D’Andrea and Robert Zeglinski: A-
“Flowers would have been a proper selection in the low teens, so the Ravens getting him here constitutes a minor bargain. Now, he joins a receiving corps with a 31-year-old Odell Beckham Jr., an oft-injured Rashod Bateman and a sometimes-explosive Devin Duvernay.
“There’s potential for that group to step up or remain in the muck, but Flowers can be a rising tide that makes everyone better. He’s a player who finds ways to win no matter how many defenders are thrown his way. He had nearly 500 more yards from scrimmage than anyone else on the Boston College roster, leaving opposing defenses with little to plan for but the rangy wideout. He consistently roasted cornerbacks with crisp routes, strong separation and the instincts to get to the ball first. Congratulations on re-signing with Baltimore, Lamar Jackson. The Ravens got you a present.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.: Winner
“What a day for Baltimore, which locked down Lamar Jackson for five more years and then got its quarterback a playmaker in Flowers, one of my favorite prospects in this entire class. He’ll make Jackson’s life so much easier. He can run every route, and he’ll dominate out of the slot. Yes, the Ravens signed Odell Beckham Jr., but that was just a one-year deal. They have plenty of room for Flowers.
“The Baltimore wide receivers combined for 248 receiving yards when lined up in the slot last season, fewest in the NFL. Flowers plugs a big hole.”
Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald: A+
“Ravens doing Ravens things again. On the same day they signed Lamar Jackson to a record-setting contract, they gave him another receiver to throw to in Boston College’s Zay Flowers. Flowers is explosive, can dominate down the field and has a strong feel as a ball carrier. This is a huge asset to the Ravens’ receivers room.”
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano: B
“The Ravens gave Lamar Jackson a massive contract extension and a speedy wideout on Day 1 of the draft. Flowers lacks size, but he’s capable of creating space with his route running and could be a standout playmaker in the slot. The Ravens will have a new-look offense with offensive coordinator Todd Monken and the addition of Odell Beckham Jr.”
“His skill feels kind of redundant with Devin Duvernay in the room, but Flowers will give the Ravens offense some more explosiveness in their passing game. The Ravens needed juice so bad they signed DeSean Jackson last year. Flowers is an explosive receiver who can get downfield in a hurry, and open up the offense for guys like Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews. With QB Lamar Jackson back in the fold, this offense could be cooking with grease now.”
“In a receiver class teeming with potential but offering only shreds of consistency, Flowers’ dependability as a big-play magnet stands out. Scoring 31 touchdowns against ACC competition speaks for itself, but further consider that in 2022 — for a team that ranked dead last in the FBS in rushing yards and fired offensive coordinator John McNulty after just one season — Flowers generated at least one play of 30-plus yards in 11 of 12 games. He’s a natural playmaker whose game translates well to the next level, warranting even first-round consideration for some clubs.”
“Flowers steals souls and breaks ankles with his unbelievable change-of-direction ability and speed. The Boston College product demonstrated an improved pass-catching prowess during the 2022 college season as he left Chestnut Hill with his name etched in program record books. The Ravens’ offense is going to look very different this fall.”
()