The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the NFL’s most successful drafting franchises over the last 15 or so years. However, that doesn’t mean they’re immune to the occasional misstep.
One such misstep is Breshad Perriman who was the team’s first-round pick back in the 2015 NFL Draft. Needless to say, Perriman didn’t pan out in Baltimore.
Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus recently released a list identifying the worst draft pick from each NFL team over the last 15 years. Perriman was the Ravens’ representative.
The Ravens have a rich history of hitting on both their early and mid-round picks. In recent years, first-round picks like Ronnie Stanley and Marlon Humphrey have become All-Pros at their positions.
Meanwhile, mid-round selections like Mark Andrews and Matt Judon have become franchise cornerstones. But Perriman was certainly one of those picks that the Ravens wish they had back.
Was Breshad Perriman the worst Ravens draft pick of the last 15 years?
Renner made his case for Perriman while also acknowledging the organization’s recent draft success.
"“Perriman was a walking injury his first few years with the Ravens. And he was relatively unproductive even when he did play, managing only 576 career yards with the Ravens before he was cut after three seasons. The fact that the Perriman pick, the 26th overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, is the Ravens’ worst shows how well they’ve drafted over this span.”"
The 26th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Perriman flashed the potential to be a dynamic playmaker, but injuries derailed his career from the start.
Perriman missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury setting the tone for what would be an injury-riddled tenure. He was released after just four seasons before his rookie contract even expired.
The Ravens hoped that they had finally ended their lengthy search for a true No. 1 wide receiver when they landed Perriman. Instead, he was just another name to add to the list.
There were a few other players who could have been considered at this spot too. The Matt Elam pick in 2013 comes to mind, although he was picked a little later at 32nd overall.
Hayden Hurst could have also been considered, although at least Baltimore got some return on their investment with a decent haul in their trade of him.
Ultimately, Perriman was likely the correct pick for the list. But he was anything but the correct pick for the Ravens.
Here’s to hoping that 2021 first-rounder Rashod Bateman doesn’t follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.