A.J. Brown:
While D.K. Metcalf is the talk of the town, it was actually his teammate, A.J. Brown, who was the big headline grabber headed into 2018. Despite back-to-back great seasons, Brown has quickly become the forgotten man in the 2019 NFL Draft class. The Baltimore Ravens would be wise to snatch him up at any point in the draft, including pick 22.
Brown isn’t nearly as tall as Metcalf or N’Keal Harry, but his 6’1″ 230-lbs. build makes him a bulky receiver who can take the big shots from defenders and dish them right back out. Brown is remarkably agile for his build and has extraordinary capabilities that make him more than worthy of a first round selection. Just because he isn’t being talked about right now doesn’t mean his play has dropped off.
Come time for the Combine and the rest of the draft process, Brown may or may not get dinged for a lack of “explosive athleticism,” but being a gym-freak doesn’t define one’s skills. Brown is deceptively fast, but more importantly he has a “my ball” mentality and isn’t afraid to go up and get it. The Ravens haven’t seen anything like this since the days of Anquan Boldin.
With the Baltimore Ravens lacking a second round pick due to last year’s trade with the Philadelphia Eagles (secured Lamar Jackson via that trade), Brown would have to be targeted in the first round. 22nd overall may seem rich for A.J. Brown, but he could easily earn his dues. At the end of the day, draft capital can be overrated when you’re selecting a stud, and Brown is as safe as they come.