The calendar has officially flipped to April, which can only mean one thing: It’s time to get ready for the NFL draft.
The first round begins April 27 in Kansas City, but until then, the Ravens have plenty to figure out. Most notably, their contract stalemate with star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has requested a trade while under the $32.4 million nonexclusive franchise tag. If he gets his wish, the Ravens’ draft could look a lot different.
Baltimore owns five picks: Nos. 22 (first round), 86 (third round), 124 (fourth round), 157 (fifth round) and 199 (sixth round). A blockbuster deal for Jackson would significantly increase the size of that haul, but the Ravens are guaranteed at least one additional first-rounder this year if Jackson signs an offer with another team before the draft and Baltimore declines to match it.
As we get closer to the draft, The Baltimore Sun will examine which players at each position of need (quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback, edge rusher, offensive line and defensive line) could be available in the early, middle and late rounds when the Ravens are on the clock. Today, it’s wide receiver, a position coach John Harbaugh has already promised the team will address in the draft.
In this wide receiver class, Johnston is an outlier. At 6 feet 3 and 208 pounds, he offers the best combination of height, weight and speed of the potential first-round picks, recording the second-best athleticism score of any wide receiver at the NFL scouting combine. The only problem? He doesn’t often use those talents to his advantage.
With a 40.5-inch vertical jump and explosive speed, the 21-year-old Johnston has all the physical tools to be an elite outside receiver. He caught 60 passes for 1,067 yards and six touchdowns in a breakout 2022 season, but he did most of his damage by creating yards after the catch. His average depth of target of 12.9 yards ranked 172nd in the country, according to Pro Football Focus, and he only made eight contested catches.
Analysts have knocked Johnston for his inability to use his size to create separation and outmuscle defenders at the catch point. Too often, he didn’t extend his arms or properly time his leap to meet the ball at its highest point on deep throws. His inconsistent hands and lackluster route running are also a concern, as he posted a poor 11.8% drop rate in 2022.
Even given his limitations, Johnston offers the elite athleticism and large catch radius the Ravens have lacked for years at wide receiver. While he might give fans flashbacks to Breshad Perriman, the disappointing 2015 first-round pick, he’s exactly the type of player general manager Eric DeCosta needs to keep taking swings at.
For a quarterback who likes to throw over the middle of the field as much as Jackson, Mingo is an intriguing fit.
At 6-2 and 220 pounds, the 21-year-old is an imposing target who can work out of the slot and make tough catches in traffic. While he doesn’t offer the speed to be a dynamic deep threat, analysts say he’s an adept route runner who tracks the ball well and picks up yards after the catch.
The biggest question for Mingo is a lack of production, especially in Ole Miss’ pass-happy offense under the direction of coach Lane Kiffin. He received his most playing time in 2022, catching 51 passes for 867 yards and five touchdowns to nearly surpass his totals from the previous two seasons combined.
However, his standout athletic testing scores suggest he might have untapped potential. With a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, 39.5-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-9-inch broad jump and 22 bench press reps, Mingo ranked eighth among wide receivers in athleticism score at the scouting combine. He also impressed at the Senior Bowl, with senior director Jim Nagy saying that wide receiver coaches have Mingo graded higher than several projected first-round prospects.
If that isn’t enough, NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compares Mingo to former Ravens star Anquan Boldin.
For a Ravens team that simply needs more playmakers on offense, the 6-2, 201-pound Nacua would be a worthy addition.
In his assessment, Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen wrote that Nacua’s “size, [yards-after-catch] skills and blocking prowess could make him a difference-maker sooner rather than later” while comparing the Cougars star to a “Discount Deebo Samuel.” That kind of player could be especially valuable to new coordinator Todd Monken in an offense Harbaugh has promised will be more up-tempo and pass more frequently. The 22-year-old Nacua also has a fair amount of experience carrying the ball, either on jet sweeps or lined up as a running back.
In his second season at BYU after transferring from Washington, the Utah native was one of the most efficient receivers in the country, averaging 3.53 yards per route run while earning the sixth-highest grade among wideouts, according to Pro Football Focus. In nine games, he caught 48 passes for 625 yards and five touchdowns — better than what Ravens leading wide receiver Damarcus Robinson accomplished in 17 contests in 2022 — and rushed 25 times for 209 yards and five scores.
Although he is raw when it comes to the finer points of playing wide receiver after being asked to run a limited route tree at BYU, Nacua’s athleticism and contested-catch skills offer tantalizing potential.
NFL draft
Thursday, April 27, to Saturday, April 29
TV: ESPN, NFL Network
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