The Baltimore Ravens have high hopes for their 2021 NFL Draft class with numerous players expected to contribute early in their careers.
Last year’s draft class saw quite a few early contributors as well, despite a stacked overall roster presenting plenty of competition.
First-round pick Patrick Queen started all 16 games at linebacker and, while he had his fair share of ups and downs, made quite the impact in his rookie season.
Second-round pick J.K. Dobbins emerged as a key contributor on offense as the year went on as seems primed to take over the RB1 role heading into 2021.
Third-round pick Tyre Phillips was a Week 1 starter at right guard and went on to start eight games during his rookie year. Meanwhile, fellow third-round picks Malik Harrison, Justin Madubuike, and Devin Duvernay each started a few games as well.
Of the three, Harrison has the best chance to see significant starting reps this season. A season in which the Ravens could lean on their rookie class more than any point in recent memory.
There’s a decent chance that all eight 2021 NFL Draft picks play some type of role either on offense or defense this season.
But which rookies have the best odds of developing into starters early in their careers?
We take a look at four Ravens rookies who could start as early as the 2021 season.
4. Shaun Wade, CB, Baltimore Ravens
Shaun Wade was, at one point, seen as a surefire first-round prospect and one of the best cornerbacks in all of college football.
And then his junior year happened.
Primarily a slot corner prior to 2020, Ohio State tried him on the boundary and he struggled mightily, tanking his draft stock in the process.
But if he could regain his pre-2020 form, Wade could prove to be one of the steals of the draft. Especially if the Ravens plan to move him back to nickel cornerback, which they seem to believe is his best fit.
General manager Eric DeCosta had the following to say about the team’s fifth-round pick.
"“A nickel corner, a slot corner, two years ago really excelled as one of the best corners in football. [We’re] excited to get him. He’s played a lot of good football in a very good conference.”"
The Ravens are expected to hand the starting nickel job back over to Tavon Young who is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in September of last year.
Young has played just two games since 2018 after missing all of 2019 with a neck injury and pretty much all of 2020 with his ACL tear, the second of his career.
There’s no guarantee that Young stays healthy meaning that Wade could earn a starting job by virtue of an unfortunate opportunity.
It’s also far from a certainty that Young is on the roster in 2022 as he will be entering the final year of his contract and could become a cap casualty.
That decision would be made easier if Wade steps up and wrestles away the starting job in his rookie season.
3. Odafe Oweh, OLB, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens used their second of two first-round picks on Penn State standout Odafe Oweh. And despite little production to speak of in college, he’ll be tasked with playing an important role early in his NFL career.
Baltimore saw the likes of Yannick Ngakoue, Matt Judon, and Jihad Ward depart in free agency leaving their pass-rush rotation incredibly thin.
The selection of both Oweh and fifth-round pick Daelin Hayes helps matters, but the battle for playing time at the outside linebacker position should be a fierce one this summer.
Veteran Pernell McPhee still has something left in the tank, but is nothing more than a rotational player at this point. Former third-round pick Jaylon Ferguson has been a major disappointment in Baltimore.
The recently re-signed Tyus Bowser figures to play a sizable chunk of snaps early on, but don’t count out Oweh filling a starting role as well.
A former four-star recruit and basketball star, Oweh is still relatively new to the position and, while he has the athleticism and raw traits to become a standout pass-rusher, he remains very raw as an overall talent.
But the opportunity will be there for Oweh to earn snaps. If he impresses in training camp, don’t be surprised to see the 22-year-old in a starting role before long.
2. Ben Cleveland, OG, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens made various moves to sure up their offensive line this offseason, even with the departure of Orlando Brown Jr.
The team signed both Kevin Zeitler and Alejandro Villanueva in free agency, will return Ronnie Stanley from injury, and selected Ben Cleveland in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Zeitler, Villanueva, and Stanley are all locked into starting roles. Cleveland will have an excellent shot at joining them as soon as Week 1.
The former Georgia star has quickly won over the hearts of Ravens fans for his electric personality and eccentric eating habits. But he’s more than just a personality off the field.
Cleveland is a mauler who possesses the raw power and strength to be a natural fit in Baltimore’s power-run offense. And he’ll be given a golden opportunity to win the starting left guard job.
With Bradley Bozeman moving over to center, Cleveland appears to be the frontrunner to be the team’s day one starter at left guard.
He’ll have to fend off the likes of Ben Powers, Tyre Phillips, and Ben Bredeson, but Cleveland should be given every chance to start Week 1 on the offensive line.
Perhaps Ben Cleveland could be the next third-round offensive lineman steal for the Ravens. Step aside, Marshal Yanda and Orlando Brown.
1. Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Of the four players on this list, the only one who is virtually guaranteed a starting role come Week 1 is the first player the Ravens took in the 2021 NFL Draft, wide receiver Rashod Bateman.
The Ravens selected Bateman with the 27th overall pick with the expectation that he would provide an immediate boost to what was a league-worst passing attack a year ago.
The former Minnesota standout was named Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year and voted team MVP in 2019 after setting numerous school records.
His 2020 season was disrupted by COVID-19, but he still found himself as one of the best wide receivers in a stacked 2021 draft class. The Ravens were, quite frankly, stunned that he was still available at 27.
Bateman is expected to slot in as a day one starter alongside the returning Marquise Brown and offseason signing Sammy Watkins to, hopefully, create a much more adept trio of receivers for quarterback Lamar Jackson.
The team also added Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace in the fourth round and will return 2020 draft picks Devin Duvernay and James Proche.
The Ravens’ wide receiver room is stocked with young talent, but none are more promising than Bateman.
If his performance this spring is anything to go off of, 2021 could be a huge year for Rashod Bateman.