The Ravens have two young receivers that could provide a spark. Breshad Perriman and Chris Moore are high ceiling players with time to develop.
The Baltimore Ravens have two young receivers that could provide a lot of excitement this season. The Ravens are the team with dominant linebackers, tough running backs and gritty linemen. When you look back at the purple and black’s run in Baltimore, there has never been a young receiver that has captivated the hopes and dreams of the franchise.
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The closest we have ever come to having that is Torrey Smith. Smith was a really good receiver, a solid number two that provided a deep threat. However, Smith never became a true number one. Nobody ever said, “Torrey Smith is playing, I have to watch this Ravens game.” Number 82 was one of my favorite players. There is no discounting his stud muffin status. When he went to be a part of the San Francisco 49ers it left the Ravens still yearning for the elite receiver of their dreams.
The 2015 draft was when Ozzie Newsome tried to grab that superstar wide out. The Ravens used the 27th overall pick on Breshad Perriman. Perriman had every quality that a young receiver needs. He showed speed unlike any other top prospect. There was evidence of great vertical ability. Sure, there were some signs of him having inconsistent hands, but we expected a big time player.
Perriman was a true difference maker at UCF. Big plays, the kind of big plays he was known for helped the Knights win some big games. In 2014, Perriman caught 50 passes for 1,044 yards and 16 touchdowns. He averaged an insane 20.9 yards per catch. It’s easy to forget that Perriman came into the NFL as one of college football’s best players.
Then the injury bug caught up to Perriman. The Ravens didn’t see Perriman in a game until the fourth preseason game a week ago. When he finally made his debut, Perriman played well. He had two grabs and even made a fairly impressive block. The Ravens fan base took a sigh of relief in unison and allowed themselves to get excited.
With Perriman’s injuries still as a concern, the Ravens drafted Chris Moore in the 2016 NFL Draft. The fourth round pick from Cincinnati has massive potential. When you look at Moore, the first thing that pops out is his big frame. Then you see the break away speed and you see incredible potential. In four seasons he totaled 119 receptions for 2,301 yards and 26 touchdowns. Like Perriman, Moore is known for plays down the field. He averaged 19.3 yards per reception.
While the future looks bright for both of these players, they don’t have to shine too much at first. With Steve Smith Sr., Kamar Aiken and Mike Wallace as a solid top three, the younger receivers have time to develop. They will get chances to make plays. Marc Trestman will get these guys on the field because their speed and size could behoove the offense. They don’t have to be stars right away though.
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The Ravens may have found two receivers that could pop on the stage as superstars. They have the things that you can’t coach. They have speed, size and they can jump out of the gym. With some coaching, a little bit of experience, and some patience these two receivers have a shot to give the Ravens a spark for years to come.