Marquise Brown is the young star at the wide receiver position the Baltimore Ravens have been waiting for:
It’s official, Marquise Brown was a hit for the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Draft. The Ravens are getting exactly what they hoped they would from Brown. Brown can stretch the defense and he’s been a reliable receiver. If Lamar Jackson gives him a fair shot at it, Brown is going to catch the football.
The bar for wide receivers drafted by the Ravens has never been that high. The only comparable receiver is Torrey Smith. In 2011 Smith had 50 receptions for 841 yards and seven touchdowns. Brown has missed two games and has 35 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns.
Brown is coming off one of his best games of the season. He just scored two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams and put up 42 yards on five receptions. In an offense that relies on the run game like most teams rely on their passing attack, these kinds of performances are impressive.
His best game was in the season opener. Brown torched the Miami Dolphins with two touchdowns and almost 150 yards. One of the most memorable moments of the year was when Brown caught a pass late in the game against the Cardinals. With the game on the line, Jackson went to Brown and sealed the deal.
Jackson got most of the credit for that, but it was also an awesome play by Brown. With very tight coverage, in a big spot, the rookie receiver was focused and ready. Brown had an incredible touchdown reception against the Steelers, where he went up and got the football. Coming down with that pass in the end zone was an example of Brown playing bigger than his size.
Brown is a big part of the offense. The defense has to worry about him at all times. Jackson has a strong connection with him. Brown came into the season still getting right after a Lisfranc injury. He’s missed two games and probably hasn’t been 100 percent this entire season. Brown is getting the job done as a rookie and he may only be scratching the surface of his potential.
Brown is the best receiver the Ravens have drafted in a long time. If Torrey Smith set the bar, Brown has a chance to reset it. The Ravens finally have drafted a star receiver.