The Baltimore Ravens' rookie minicamp is this weekend. Of course, much of the discourse around Baltimore's minicamp is about controversial quarterback Diego Pavia, and he, more than most players, needs to prove himself this weekend.
Nevertheless, Pavia is far from the only Ravens rookie who could prove himself this weekend. Let's further discuss why Pavia needs to prove himself and examine three other members of Baltimore's undrafted rookie class with something to prove this weekend.
Diego Pavia and 3 Ravens staring down a pivotal rookie minicamp
Diego Pavia, quarterback
There's nobody in the Ravens' minicamp who will have more eyeballs on him than former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. Now the Ravens have already signed Pavia to a three-year deal. Still, they also signed UConn QB Joe Fagnano to a three-year deal, giving Pavia some direct head-to-head competition.
At 5-foot-10, Pavia is minuscule for an NFL QB. As such, it will be interesting to see how he adapts to his first taste of the NFL. Pavia's personality is highly controversial, and his maturity has been widely questioned. The Ravens' signing him to a deal is a vote of confidence in Pavia to some extent. Nevertheless, it will be vital for Pavia to exhibit a professional mindset and display a high level of maturity.
Joe Fagnano, quarterback
On the flip side, Fagnano could get a leg up on Pavia with a strong minicamp. He had a less decorated college career and was, of course, far less of a publicized signing than Pavia. Additionally, there are concerns about the level of competition Fagnano faced while at UConn. Still, Fagnano recorded an impressive 3,448 yards and 28 touchdowns in his senior year.
At 6-foot-3, Fagnano offers ideal size and was a sound decision maker at UConn. If Fagnano impresses this weekend, and concerns about Pavia persist, the former could have a clear runway to earn the Ravens' third-string QB job.
Lardarius Webb Jr., safety
Ravens fans were excited to see Lardarius Webb Jr.'s name on the Ravens' undrafted free agent list. His father had a splendid nine-year tenure with the Ravens and was a fan favorite during this time. After losing Alohi Gilman in free agency, the Ravens could be searching for another safety, particularly as it is a premium position in Jesse Minter's defense.
Baltimore didn't draft a safety, which, in turn, could open a roster spot for Webb. Silas Walters and Jahquez Robinson are expected to be two other undrafted safeties that Webb will need to prove himself against. I think every Ravens fan is rooting for Webb to make a strong impression and eventually earn a spot on the Ravens' 53-man roster.
Nick Dawkins, center
The Ravens controversially opted not to draft a center despite this position being a glaring hole left behind by Tyler Linderbaum. They did, however, sign Penn State's Nick Dawkins, who was college teammates with Baltimore's first-round pick, Vega Ioane.
It remains unclear who the Ravens' starting center will be, with Corey Bullock, Jovaughn Gwyn, and Danny Pinter all competing for the starting spot. A strong showing from Dawkins, though, could make this a four-man competition.
Add us as a preferred source on Google