5 best comparisons to Baltimore Ravens TE Isaiah Likely's rookie season

Isaiah Likely had a lot of Baltimore Ravens fans excited by showing some serious potential in his rookie season. Still, while he may be a piece on the offense for years to come, we do have to remember that he did just record 373 yards last season. Beyond that, he is a fourth-round player, and a lot of his production was because of the lack of pieces around him.

To keep expectations in balance, we looked historically at some players drafted in a similar spot and recording a similar statline to see if there were any serious hits or misses that expereince this rookie year.

5. Dwayne Allen

Dwayne Allen was a third round pick, and went a decent bit higher than likely in overall draft slot. However, they are very similar athletes as tight ends, and happened to have similar stats. He alsp happened to be in a two tight end offense with Coby Fleener as a rookie as well.

An injury hurt his second season, and may have crushed his upside. Still, he went onto have two seasons that were more productive mixed in with some injuires and years of down play. Allen ended with a seven-year career as a reliable tight end who grew as a blocker. Perhaps in Isaiah Likely we can see what someone like Allen could do without the injury.

4. Chris Herndon

Chris Herndon is another similarly size athlete, and he even went much closer to Likely in terms of draft slot.

The issue with Herndon came back to injuries. He also missed his second NFL season, so this is starting to be a bad omen for Isaiah Likely, only half kidding. In his third season Herndon started to playt better, but more inuries ruined his career, and it is hard to see a takeaway that he was a bust after this strong year, but rather that injuries crushed him.

3. Randy McMichael

Randy McMichael may be the best outcome for Isaiah Likely if he were to follow the path of a similar player. McMichael also was a fourth round pick, and these two players are erriley similar as athletes. McMichael was better on a per-catch basis, but Likely was right there with similar stats.

In McMichael we may have also seen what could have been with Allen and Herndon if they did not get hurt in their second season. McMichael had 598 yards in year two, then had a career-high 791 yards in his third season. The trend continued with 582 yards in year two, and 640 in year five.

From there, his stats started to trend down as he became a complimentary piece, but he kept his career stable for 11 seasons from 2002-2012. The Ravens likely would keep Isaiah Likely for his four seasons and then potentially get a compensatory pick back. If that is the case, a four-year run to start his career similar to Randy McMichael would end up being a great situation.

2. Mycal Rivera

Mychal Rivera was drafted a little later than Isaiah Likely, but they did have very similar rookie seasons. They also came into the NFL with similar profiles.

Rivera jumped from 407 yards in year one up to 530 in his second season. Still, the Raiders drafted Clive Walford, and that was enough push Rivera out of the mix as the top tight end. This could end up being a simialr outcome for Likely in the sense that so many new pass catching options could cut his production down and make him less valued overall.

1. Ian Thomas

Ian Thomas and Isaiah Likely had extremely similar rookie seasons. They are very similar athletes, and they went about the same pick in the NFL draft.

The issue with this comparison is that Ian Thomas never was able to produce more than his rookie season. What has this comparison making plenty of sense is the reality that Thomas is still a trusted asset by the Panthers. he was a second tight end, and become a pass catching option who was pushed further down the totem pole.

However, his athletic traits remained valuable, and he got a lot better as a blocker, and the Panthers eventually extended him. So, if this is the outcome for Likely, it is not the worst. Considering he will spend his rookie contract behind Mark Andrews, and he will lose targets to the wide outs he could see a drop in stats. Still, his role as a minimal player who is also trusted to catch big passes and block could add more value despite the lack of stats.

This is a fair expectation for Isaiah Likely.