NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock is on the same page as the Ravens and their fans.
Baltimore doesn't just need wide receivers. It needs offensive playmakers.
"It probably needs to be an offensive draft for the Ravens this year," Mayock said on a conference call Monday afternoon.
"Who can make a difference? It doesn't matter what you call it – a wideout or a tight end or an H-back or whatever. Who can make a difference? You start looking in the second and third rounds."
There only sure-fire first-round wide receiver is Alabama's Calvin Ridley. Mayock said he doesn't know if any tight ends will go in the first round.
But once you get into the second through fourth rounds, it's anyone's guess as to who will be taken, particularly at wide receiver.
"Right now, the wide receiver position is really cloudy," Mayock said. "There are different flavors at wide receiver. After Ridley and [Texas A&M's Christian] Kirk, this draft can go anywhere at the wide receiver position.
"In all honesty, I might have a guy as a second-rounder and another evaluator might have him as a fourth-rounder. I think the second through the fourth rounds at the wide receiver position, people are going to be all over, depending on what they're looking for."
If the Ravens don't get Ridley, they are likely to draft a wide receiver and/or tight end somewhere in that sweet spot. Mayock gave a brief breakdown on a bunch of wideouts:
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Ridley & Kirk, Alabama/Texas A&M**
"Ridley and Kirk are somewhat similar, somewhat similar in size. I like them both in the slot, although I think Ridley might be a little bit faster. I'm anxious to see them both at the combine, speed wise. I think Ridley can play outside, but he will become predominantly a slot receiver in the NFL. Same with Kirk. They both run tremendous routes, they both have really good hands and they're very tough catching the football with good run after catch. Christian Kirk adds value in the return game."
Courtland Sutton, SMU
"Courtland Sutton is a completely different animal. Six-foot-4, 215-220, high-level production with a lot outside the numbers. Keep in mind, there are a lot of ways to separate in today's NFL. We used to talk about quickness and speed and route running. There's another way to separate now, and that's with size – back-shoulder fades, the outside-the-number throws. He's mostly kind of a fade, fade-stop, hitch and slant player right now. There's not much of a route tree. I'm anxious to see how fast he is. Can he be a Mike Evans-type player?"
James Washington, Oklahoma State
"He's a vertical guy. He's a late-[first round], late-[second round]."
Dante Pettis, Washington
"Great return specialist, slot receiver. Second or third-round guy."
D.J. Moore, Maryland
"Has some juice, [I] like him. Probably a slot receiver."
Anthony Miller, Memphis
"Fast and quick, really good hands."
D.J. Chark, LSU
"Has been ascending since the Senior Bowl."
Deon Cain, Clemson
"Reminds me of [Miami Dolphins wide receiver] Kenny Stills. Might be a little bit undervalued, will probably run in the 4.4-range."
J'Mon Moore, Missouri
"Big kid. Too many drops, but a height, weight, speed guy."
Other wide receiver names Mayock tossed out as second-to-fourth-round picks are UCLA's Jordan Lasley, Boise State's Cedrick Wilson and Notre Dame's Equanimeous St. Brown.
At tight end, Mayock has South Carolina's Hayden Hurst ranked as his No. 1 option. Hurst posted 92 catches for 1,175 yards and three touchdowns over the past two seasons. Mayock has him atop his position rankings because "I think he blocks a little bit also."
But like wide receiver, the tight end rankings are all over the map.
"Dallas Goedert, Mike Gesicki, Mark Andrews, Ian Thomas from Indiana, they're all kind of matchup [receiving] tight ends," Mayock said. "Think of Zach Ertz in Philadelphia as a possible example. They're the logical tight end group in the second, third, fourth round."
