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2020 NFL Mock Draft: Ravens trade up for an Alabama receiver

By Michael Natelli

TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 14: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after pulling in a touchdown reception against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 14: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after pulling in a touchdown reception against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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BOULDER, CO – OCTOBER 25: Laviska Shenault Jr. #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes wears a special helmet and all black uniform in the second quarter of a game against the USC Trojans at Folsom Field on October 25, 2019 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
BOULDER, CO – OCTOBER 25: Laviska Shenault Jr. #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes wears a special helmet and all black uniform in the second quarter of a game against the USC Trojans at Folsom Field on October 25, 2019 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

Round 2

. Wide Receiver. Buffaloes . Laviska Shenault. 55. player. 857

For as talented as he is as a receiver, it would be offensive to call Colorado’s Laviska Shenault a “gadget player.” He’s far more than that. But what makes him stand out in such a loaded receiving class is the way he also thrived for the Buffs as a running back and wildcat quarterback. Perhaps it’d be best to just call him a “weapon.”

One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to mock drafts is when “weapon” and “gadget” players get mocked to teams that run fairly bland and “standard” offenses, under the guise that said player will magically inspire these teams to run a Georgia Tech or Navy-style offense, or become masters in bringing in new wrinkles and trick plays. It almost never happens, and when these types of gadgets do go to standard offenses, they get used like standard receivers or running backs and tend to float into NFL anonymity.

Shenault has gotten this kind of talk leading up to this year’s draft, but the Ravens present the rare team with the kind of creative offense mind to make the most of his wide-ranging offensive skill set.

I often say Dexter McCluster was a man ahead of his time, and Shenault reminds me of “if Dexter McCluster had come to the modern NFL.” In fairness, Shenault is a far better receiver, but a Shenault-Ravens pairing could show the world what McCluster would’ve been if he was put with an offensive coordinator who was creative enough to use him properly.

Shenault’s abilities can introduce some exciting new wrinkles to an offense that is looking to keep opposing defenses guessing as teams adjust to what the Ravens put out there in 2019. His ability to run the wildcat can allow him to share some of the carries that were designed for Lamar Jackson in 2019, particularly as in goal line packages.

He does have some injury concerns, but there may be no team in the NFL that is better-positioned to keep him fresh than a Baltimore offense that also features weapons like Brown, Ruggs, Ingram, Andrews, Jackson, Snead, and Boykin. Shenault was run into the ground at Colorado, but could see his playmaking and explosiveness reach new heights with a healthier workload.

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