The Baltimore Ravens concluded their 2021 rookie minicamp on Sunday officially ending the first stage of their offseason workouts.
The three-day event was the team’s first chance to get a look at their new rookies including all eight 2021 NFL Draft picks, their undrafted signings, and a few minicamp invites looking to secure a contract.
While it’s never wise to put too much stock into the first set of workouts, especially without pads or defenders, rookie minicamp does provide an initial glimpse into the potential future of the organization.
After all, first impressions are significant.
The next time the Ravens will convene as a team will be May 25th for the first batch of OTAs. But this past weekend was unique in that it was an opportunity for the rookies to shine.
Baltimore will be looking to get over the figurative hump in 2021 after three straight playoff disappointments. To do so, they’ll need to receive some early contributions from their 2021 NFL Draft class.
That includes their two first-round picks, but it extends beyond that as well. The Ravens have seen their fair share of mid-to-late-round picks and even undrafted rookies make a name for themselves in years past.
They’re hoping that this year is no different.
With rookie minicamp now in the rearview mirror, we take a look at three takeaways from the event.
3. Ar’Darius Washington has a real shot at making the Ravens roster
The Ravens have found considerable success with undrafted rookies in the past. That includes the likes of Bart Scott and Michael Pierce to current members of the roster like Justin Tucker, Patrick Ricard, and Gus Edwards.
Of the nine undrafted rookies the team signed this year, perhaps no player stands a better chance at making the final roster than safety Ar’Darius Washington.
Washington was far and away the most high-profile undrafted signing the Ravens made with most draft analysts projecting the former TCU safety as a mid-round pick.
In fact, Pro Football Focus even listed Washington as the No. 57 player on their entire big board leading up to the draft. Yet, 259 players were picked over him.
Washington excelled in college as a rangy cover safety who also packed a punch in the run game. Unfortunately, his lack of size clearly scared teams away.
At just 5-foot-8, 178 pounds, Washington has a slim margin for error when it comes to making plays in coverage and teams likely had concerns about his ability to shed blocks in the NFL.
In rookie minicamp, however, Washington was all over the field making plays. His nose for the ball was evident and he nearly came away with an interception on 7-on-7 drills.
The Ravens are fairly deep at both safety and nickel corner, but Washington has a chance to stick if he continues to excel this summer.
Simply put, it might be difficult to keep him off the roster.
2. Daelin Hayes impressed the Ravens this weekend
The Ravens went into the 2021 NFL Draft with a sizable hole at edge rusher after seeing both Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue walk in free agency.
And even after taking Penn State’s Odafe Oweh in the first round, they decided that they weren’t done doubling up at the position and adding Notre Dame standout Daelin Hayes in Round 5.
Hayes might not be receiving the same level of hype as his rookie teammate, but he was arguably the more impressive of the two in minicamp.
Oweh wowed coaches with his athleticism, but Hayes was the more disruptive of the two making numerous plays in the backfield. Both Oweh and Hayes are seen as raw athletic talents, but at least after a few days of minicamp, Hayes looked more NFL-ready.
That’s great news for a Ravens team that needs all the help they could get in the pass-rush department.
Pernell McPhee still has some juice in him and the Ravens hope that Tyus Bowser could finally break out in 2021, but the depth behind them is marginal at best — unless someone like Jaylon Ferguson could step up.
The Ravens need not only Oweh to perform, but for Hayes to contribute as well.
And few players on the defensive side of the ball impressed more in rookie minicamp than the Notre Dame product did.
If early indications are something to go on, the Ravens might have landed a mid-round steal in Daelin Hayes.
1. The Ravens might have something special in Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace
Perhaps no rookie made more of an impact during minicamp than first-round pick Rashod Bateman did. Bateman looked the part of an NFL receiver with smooth route-running and sticky hands.
His impressive performance prompted head coach John Harbaugh to insist that he was “as advertised” this weekend and it’s clear that Baltimore has big plans for Bateman in 2021.
But Bateman wasn’t the only rookie receiver making plays this weekend.
Fourth-round pick Tylan Wallace made a strong first impression as well running crisp routes and catching nearly everything that came his way.
The former Oklahoma State star faces a bit of an uphill battle adjusting to the NFL on the fly after playing in a relatively simple offensive system in college. The Ravens are deep at receiver, but Wallace is going to push for playing time.
The top trio of Marquise Brown, Sammy Watkins, and Bateman is set. But the battle for the remaining wide receiver spots will be an interesting one to follow.
Devin Duvernay is a player who many have been pushing to see more snaps on offense in 2021, but don’t be surprised if Wallace finds himself rocketing up the depth chart before long.
It’s safe to say that the Ravens must be very pleased with the play of their two rookie wide receivers after the first weekend of organized team activities.
Bateman and Wallace could be a force for years to come.