The Baltimore Ravens have to walk away from the 2023 NFL draft with some help at wide receiver. The question is when. They have not had as much success in round one, and they may want to trade down. If they trade down, they could pick any time on day two, but if they pass on wide-out round one, they have to wait until late round three.
Who are some wide receivers that could go anywhere from round two to three in most cases?
5. Xavier Hutchinson is a reliable option for Baltimore Ravens
It took Xavier Hutchinson a year or so to get onto the field, but once he got going he took off for the Cyclones. He was their leading receiver the past two years and essentially was their offense in 2021. Xavier Hutchinson did not play in the slot in college too much, but that is his best projection.
As a physical ball-winner, he is not quite strong enough to beat NFL cornerbacks. He is a solid route runner, but will struggle with press and is not going to burn cornerbacks or create separation down the field.
Hutchinson wins with five to ten yards of the line of scrimmage. He wins because he is a savvy route runner who has a good start, and stop capabilities. He is not a dominant athlete who creates separation, but he does have enough wiggle in the open field to not only get open but then create after the catch.
We compared Xavier Hutchinson favorable to Tyler Boyd, and while Hutchinson is a projection in the slot, the skill sets are nearly identical.