Torrey, Kiper React To Newest WR Perriman
There's no better way to replace the loss of Torrey Smith than with a receiver that many are calling a "bigger and faster version" of Smith, with the potential to become a No. 1 receiver.
That's partly why ESPN's Jamison Hensley called drafting UCF star Breshad Perriman a "no-brainer" at No. 26 for the Ravens. The young man is an explosive playmaking receiver that can take the top off defenses – his 4.2 second 40-yard dash is one of the fastest ever – and averaged a whopping 20 yards per catch over the last two seasons.
Add on the big-boy size of 6-foot-2, 212 pounds and a fearless ability to go over the middle, and Perriman has the potential to explode in the NFL.
Watching the whole thing unfold from San Francisco, Smith immediately reached out to Perriman with a classy reaction we've all come to know from the former Raven and Terp.
@BPerriman11 congrats bro! You are going to love it there. — Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) May 1, 2015
While it's easy to compare Perriman to Smith because of their speed, Hensley explains why Perriman could be even better.
"The knee-jerk reaction is to label him another Torrey Smith," the ESPN reporter wrote. "But Perriman is faster than Smith (a 4.44 time in the 40). He's two inches taller and has a much bigger wingspan. But he's also a receiver who isn't afraid to go across the middle and will gain yards after contact.
"It's simple: The Ravens needed someone to strike fear into defenses, and Perriman will cause the Steelers, Bengals and Browns to take a few extra steps back."
Baltimore native and ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper gave high praise to the newest Raven, saying Perriman has the potential to be a Dez Bryant type of receiver. Kiper's analysis sounded a lot like Ravens brass. Head Coach John Harbaugh told WBAL radio Thursday night that Perriman was ranked No. 14 or 15 on the Ravens draft board.
Guess where Kiper had him ranked?
"He was No. 14 on my board and you're getting him at No. 26," Kiper said. "You're getting a kid who's the son of Brett Perriman who I scouted at Miami of Florida in 1988 and was the second-round pick of the Saints. …. He caught the Hail Mary to beat East Carolina, he had seven straight games this season with a touchdown reception that dated from Oct. 18 to Dec. 4."
Perriman doesn't come without risk.
The biggest knock on the 21-year-old wideout is he drops too many balls. Pro Football Focus has his drop rate at nearly 14 percent, and Hensley says anything over 8 percent is "typically an issue."
But this is where Kiper's scouting report again sounds like the Ravens.
Kiper wonders whether the drops were due to a lack of concentration, rather than bad hands. Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome concluded the issue is indeed a matter of focusing on the ball and he is confident Perriman can improve. Part of the optimism comes from seeing most of the drops occur at the beginning of the year, but started to dissipate as the season moved along.
"He has some issues," Kiper said. "He has some drops, some routine ground balls, but he makes some miraculous catches. So he shows he can catch the football. He had a real good Pro Day. He didn't drop anything for the Ravens at the Pro Day, when they brought him in. He has the ball skills. The drops – were they concentration drops? Some were no-excuse drops, I don't know what was happening, he's got to eliminate that, but he's got a ton of talent."
In the CBSSports.com video below, analyst Pete Prisco gives the Ravens a B grade for taking Perriman at No. 26. Prisco called the newest Raven a "boom or bust pick" and said "I think he booms."
Broncos Traded Up To Get Ray Before Ravens, But Ravens Weren't Going To Draft Ray
Three picks before the Ravens were on the clock, the Denver Broncos suddenly jumped into the No. 23 spot and selected controversial pass rusher Shane Ray out of Missouri, who was largely seen as a top-15 talent.
The Broncos must have had Ray high on their board because they gave up a lot of currency to get him. To get the No. 23 pick from the Detroit Lions, Denver sent over its No. 28 overall (first round), No. 143 overall (fifth round), a 2016 fifth-round pick and guard/center Manny Ramirez.
Ray finished his career at Missouri with 19 sacks, but he was sliding because of a toe injury and a marijuana citation from police just days before the draft. Many pundits projected Ray falling all the way to the Ravens at No. 26.
Apparently, the Broncos believed the same thing:
Turns out, they may have made the trade for nothing. Harbaugh revealed to WBAL radio last night the Ravens weren't going to pick Ray.
Uh, That Is NOT Perriman
I don't think Perriman is the person the NFL thinks he is.
After NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Ravens selection, the peeps running the highlight reel at Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University in Chicago flashed video of a man that was not Perriman.
Whoopsies!
It didn't end there.
The NFL Network quickly cut to Perriman to get his raw reaction after hearing his named called. Only they cut to random dude giving a short golf clap.
That is not Breshad Perriman #NFLDraft https://t.co/137SOFvpjl — FanSided GIF (@FanSidedGIF) May 1, 2015
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