If something has defined the Baltimore Ravens organization and their wide receivers, that's failing at scouting amateur players but excelling at finding the best pros available in the market.
The Ravens have failed to draft a good, let alone elite, wide receiver since the franchise became a thing in 1996. Baltimore has tried to fix that of late, with three first-round picks spent in wideouts in the 2019-2023 span.
The last addition to that list is Zay Flowers, and everything is pointing toward stardom for the rookie wide receiver and former Boston College standout. In fact, even one of the best to ever do it cannot wait to watch (and play next to) Flowers next season.
@ZayFlowers is 🤮🤮🤮… can’t wait 🍿
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) August 16, 2023
Flowers is known for his quick feet and lightning speed, and through training camp he's broken some ankles from fellow Ravens and Washington Commanders' defenders in the couple joint practices the two clubs held together.
OBJ tweeted last week that he "Can't wait" to watch his teammate on the field come Week 1 and the matchaup against the Houston Texans.
Talking to the hosts of The Lounge podcast recently, Flowers, who Lamar Jackson has already nicknamed "Joystick," said that he developed his quickness and his speed by playing "a little game called murderball" in South Florida.
"Everybody would try to get one person with the ball. We would try to juke each other out, run around," Flowers explained per Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com. "You've got to tackle the man with the ball. So it's like 20 people chasing you around."
Zay Flowers cooking Emmanuel Forbes 👀 pic.twitter.com/wKCknBXFbK
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) August 15, 2023
You might believe the story, or you might not, but judging by how Flowers cooked and burned Commanders' cornerback and fellow rookie Emmanuel Forbest in the joint practices at the start of last week, it's fair to acknowledge this kid's skates are on fire.
The Ravens haven't been lucky when spenging high picks on wideouts, but Flowers is poised to change that starting next September.