The Ravens held an open conference call with season-ticket holders Wednesday night, as PSL holders had a chance to ask questions to quarterback Lamar Jackson, tight end Hayden Hurst and offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr.
Baltimore's three rookies answered questions for close to an hour, and here were some of the highlights from the call:
Hurst Already Developing Rapport With Flacco
The 25th-overall pick of this year's draft is expected to make an immediate impact on offense, and he is quickly developing chemistry with starting quarterback Joe Flacco.
"It's already started," Hurst said when asked about their rapport. "Me and Joe have been in contact trying to build that relationship. I'm a rookie, so I kind of have to know my role, but I get to learn and he's one of the best to do it. It has started already."
Jackson on Who He Admires at the Quarterback Position
The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner was one of the most dynamic players in college football the last two years, and he pointed to former No. 1 overall pick Michael Vick as someone he's looked up to throughout his career.
"I really admire Michael Vick, just watching his explosiveness out there on the field – making people miss, trying to score touchdowns and actually throwing the ball," Jackson said. "That's a person I admired a lot and I wanted one day to mimic some of what he did, and just try to get into the end zone. Michael Vick was my guy."
Brown Discusses Following His Father's Footsteps
Brown took plenty of questions from nostalgic Ravens fans who watched his father during his career in Baltimore. Zeus Sr. was a fan favorite during his career, and Brown doesn't believe the pressure of following in his dad's footsteps will be too much to handle.
"I've been Orlando Brown Jr. my whole life," Brown said. "I was raised to understand that there always to be a target on my back the whole time, and I would have to approach the game a certain way, and the way I carry myself in everyday because I'm going to be talked about and compared to my dad. It's no worry to me and it's no type of different pressure that I haven't dealt with."
Jackson Discusses Johnny Unitas
Jackson isn't the first big-name quarterback to come out of Louisville. The university also produced Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas, who of course starred for the Baltimore Colts. Louisville has a statue of Unitas in their stadium, and Jackson recognizes the impact of the former quarterback.
"That's actually amazing," Jackson said. "Walking through the stadium every day and seeing that statue every day, and now I'm coming here, knowing he was great with both of the [cities] that I'm going through my career with, it's just amazing. We're two great quarterbacks trying to hopefully pave the way for future quarterbacks from Louisville. That's just an honor and a blessing for me."
Brown Has Bragged to Baker Mayfield About Baltimore
Brown played his Oklahoma college career with another Heisman winner, quarterback Baker Mayfield. The two of them caught up recently and Brown talked a little trash to the No. 1 overall pick of the Cleveland Browns.
"I talked to 'Bake' last week, he's doing pretty well up there in Cleveland," Brown said. "Of course, I bragged about Baltimore to him."
Hurst Sees Older Age as an Advantage
A criticism of Hurst during the pre-draft process was his older age compared to most rookies. He'll be 25 years old when the season starts because he initially played minor league baseball out of high school, but Hurst dismissed the notion that his age will hurt him.
"I think it's more of an advantage," Hurst said. "I've been through a lot of things in those three years that some of these guys haven't. I learned a lot about myself, a lot about life. I had a contract previously with baseball, so I know how to manage money and things like that. I definitely think it's an advantage for me."
Brown Used to Work at Local Restaurant
Brown Sr. used to own a restaurant in Columbia, and the younger Brown worked there during his childhood. Brown Jr. said he worked "cleaning toilets, washing dishes and busing tables." The family sold the restaurant after his father passed away.
