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2019 Baltimore Ravens: 3 goals for Miles Boykin

By Chris Schisler

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 13: Miles Boykin #81 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish catches a touchdown pass against Dane Jackson #11 of the Pittsburgh Panthers to take the lead in the second half at Notre Dame Stadium on October 13, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 13: Miles Boykin #81 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish catches a touchdown pass against Dane Jackson #11 of the Pittsburgh Panthers to take the lead in the second half at Notre Dame Stadium on October 13, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 15: Miles Boykin #81 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attempts to make a catch against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Notre Dame Stadium on September 15, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Vanderbilt 22-17 (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 15: Miles Boykin #81 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attempts to make a catch against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Notre Dame Stadium on September 15, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Vanderbilt 22-17 (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Miles Boykin was a third round pick for the Baltimore Ravens. What should the rookie receiver set his sights on? Here are three goals for him:

1. Prove that he was an NFL Draft steal:

When you look at the things Miles Boykin brings to the Baltimore Ravens it’s hard not to be excited. Boykin is a 6’4″ 220 pound receiver with a big frame. He ran a 4.42 second 40 yard dash and had a vertical jump of 43.5 inches at the NFL Scouting combine. Athletically, he has everything a wide receiver needs. He’s a big receiver, with more than decent speed who can go up and get the football. Despite all of these traits, Boykin was drafted in the third round.

Boykin is a player that has the potential to outperform his draft stock. While high expectations on his career are warranted, huge numbers shouldn’t be the goal. Rookie receivers have a rough track record in the NFL, especially in Baltimore. On top of that, Boykin only had one year at Notre Dame where he put up the kind of numbers that get you drafted. In 2018 he had 59 receptions for 872 yards and eight touchdowns. That is a very strong season, however it remains to be seen how it translates into the NFL.

Here we have two conflicting pieces of the prediction puzzle. We have incredible talent and potential clashing with the hard transition into the NFL. A good goal for Boykin is to prove that he was a draft steal. Boykin needs to show as a rookie that his actual performance will align closer to  the ceiling of his potential than the floor. He has a roster spot, that is a given. He now needs to earn a spot as a play-maker in the offense. With Boykin it isn’t about a huge number of receptions but the impact he makes with them. A strong goal for Boykin would be to show that he’s the same caliber player as Marquise Brown, who the Ravens drafted with the 25th overall pick.

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