Teams searching for wide receiver prospects should probably start at LSU. The program has produced a catalog of stars in recent years, and Terrace Marshall Jr. could be next.
LSU star Ja'Marr Chase is expected to be the first wide receiver drafted this year, likely in the top-10. His teammate, Marshall, could be another Tiger wideout available for the Ravens near the end of the first round.
Last year, LSU's Justin Jefferson took the NFL by storm after being the 22nd-overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings. Before that, it was DJ Chark, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. Since 2000, LSU has had 10 wide receivers go in the first two rounds, tied with USC for the most of any school.
Given a chance to be the school's top dog last season, Marshall showed he can be special too. With Chase opting out, Marshall posted 48 catches for 731 yards and 10 touchdowns in just seven games before opting out the rest of the year. Over the past two seasons, he averaged a touchdown every four catches and averaged 15 yards per catch over his career.
Marshall is big, fast, and had major production for a big-time program. He checked all the boxes in college, emerging from the pack to become a talented NFL prospect.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has projected the Ravens to select Marshall in every one of his offseason mock drafts. Marshall is quite aware of that, and hears the buzz about potentially landing in Baltimore.
"I would enjoy playing with [Lamar Jackson]," Marshall told Glenn Clark Radio earlier this month. "Being on the field, it's a team effort. It's all about taking advantage of what you are given. Anywhere I land I'll be able to do my job and do whatever it takes to help the team."
Measurements: 6-foot-2 5/8; 205 pounds
2020 Stats: 7 games, 48 receptions, 731 yards, 10 touchdowns
2019 Stats: 12 games, 46 receptions, 671 yards, 13 touchdowns
Highlights:
Why He Makes Sense: The Ravens signed Sammy Watkins in free agency, but he's only on a one-year deal. Baltimore could use another young receiver to gain chemistry with Lamar Jackson, and the type of receiver they've been missing is a big-bodied outside and red zone threat, which would complement the speed of Marquise "Hollywood" Brown.
Scouting Report: "Big, fast and talented, Marshall has the ingredients to become a solid starter in the league but has some questions to answer. With the departure of Justin Jefferson and with Ja'Marr Chase opting out, more targets and more shaded coverage ended up coming his way until he opted out at the end of November. He looks much more comfortable outside than he does in the slot, and he's a more reliable ball-catcher when he's working the second and third levels. He's a natural ball-tracker with a second gear and the catch radius to go get it, and his size gives him an advantage on 50-50 balls. For all of his talent, Marshall seemed disinterested at times in 2020 and wasn't always committed to finishing his routes or running them with consistent intensity. There are traits and talent at his disposal, but the difference between becoming a WR2 and a WR3/4 could be determined by how hard he's willing to work at his craft." – NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein
Backstory: Marshall was the third-ranked receiver prospect in the country coming out of high school, despite suffering a broken leg early in his senior season at Parkway High School in Louisiana. He is the great nephew of the late Joe Delaney, a Pro Bowl NFL running back who drowned in 1983 trying to rescue three children from drowning.
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