The Ravens need a big-bodied wide receiver that can go up and make contested catches. A guy that can win the 1-on-1 fade routes in the end zone, and be a the chain-mover on key third downs. In the 2018 NFL Draft, Simmie Cobbs Jr. might just be that guy.
The Ravens lack a go-to guy on the offense. When it’s crunch time and the game is on the line, who does Joe Flacco have to look for? Is it 37-year old tight end Ben Watson? How about Mike Wallace? If we’re answering this question based off of 2017, he’d probably have better luck dumping it off to Alex Collins. Last season, the only offensive player that provided any offensive spark was undoubtedly Collins, their running-back. While having a great running-back is important, being one-sided on offense is never a successful formula. The Ravens have to acquire a dependable, “go-to” receiver if they want to make it back to the playoffs.
Indiana’s Simmie Cobbs Jr. has everything he needs to fill this role. Cobbs has great size, standing at 6-foot-4, and 220 pounds. He has used this size to his advantage throughout his career at Indiana. If you were to take a look at a highlight reel of Cobbs’ touchdowns, you’ll see a lot of wins on fade routes. Additionally, he is not easy to bring down. Dragging multiple defenders on his back for extra yards was a staple of his senior season. Cobbs is also excellent at adjusting to the ball, putting his big body in position to snag the football out of the air on fades and back-shoulder throws.
A look at the production
Cobbs’ college career could’ve been even more productive had he not missed his junior season due to an ankle injury suffered in the first week of the 2016 season. Cobbs posted a solid yardage total of 1,035 during his 2015 campaign, but left something to be desired in the touchdown department, with only four. Quickly resolved in 2017, Cobbs posted a respectable eight touchdown grabs to go with 841 yards. Here are his 2015 and 2017 stat-lines side by side:
Sophomore (2015): 60 receptions for 1,035 yards, and four touchdowns.
Senior (2017): 72 receptions for 841 yards, and eight touchdowns.
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The Take Home Point
No matter how you look at it, the Ravens need a receiver they can consistently count on. While they can fill that need in the either 2018 NFL Draft or sign an established guy in free agency, drafting Simmie Cobbs Jr. could perhaps be the easiest route to achieving this goal. If the Ravens find themselves in a position where they are still receiver-needy in the third or fourth round of the draft, they could certainly do much worse than taking a guy that compares across the board to Mike Evans.