Lamar Jackson's favorite target at Louisville is among the undrafted free agents attending rookie minicamp.
Former Louisville wide receiver Jaylen Smith, who has worked out with Jackson this offseason in Pompano Beach, Fla., is one of 17 undrafted rookies the team signed before minicamp (May 3-4) at the Under Armour Performance Center. Smith caught 13 touchdown passes from Jackson in 2016-17 at Louisville, and it will be interesting to see if their college chemistry on the field carries over to the NFL.
The 6-foot-2, 219-pound Smith was a four-year starter for the Cardinals and finished ninth in school history in receptions (152) and sixth in receiving yards (2,505).
Two of the Ravens' first three draft picks were wide receivers, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown (first-round) of Oklahoma and Miles Boykin (third round) of Notre Dame. But the Ravens are retooling the position after releasing Michael Crabtree and losing John Brown in free agency to Buffalo. Smith may view the Ravens as a place where he has a legitimate chance to compete for a roster spot, and his connection to Jackson made Baltimore a favorable destination for Smith.
At least one undrafted rookie has made the Ravens' roster for 15 straight years. Baltimore also has a handful of other undrafted rookies attending minicamp on a tryout basis, but the team does not release those names.
Here is this year's list of undrafted rookies the team signed before minicamp:
ILB Otaro Alaka, Texas A&M, 6-foot-3, 239 pounds
OT Marcus Applefield, Virginia, 6-foot-5, 308
ILB E.J. Ejiya, North Texas, 6-foot-1, 235
TE Cole Herdman, Purdue, 6-foot-4, 248
OLB Markus Jones, Angelo State, 6-foot-3, 252
G Patrick Mekari, Cal-Berkeley, 6-foot-4, 308
WR Sean Modster, Boise State, 5-foot-11, 183
DT Kalil Morris, Kent State, 6-foot-2, 309
OLB Mike Onuoha, Texas A&M – Commerce, 6-foot-5, 255
LS Matthew Orzech, Azusa Pacific, 6-foot-3, 246
TE Charles Scarff, Delaware, 6-foot-5, 249
WR Jaylen Smith, Louisville, 6-foot-2, 219
ILB Silas Stewart, Incarnate Word, 6-foot-3, 228
C C.J. Toogood, Elon, 6-foot-2, 296
WR Antoine Wesley, Texas Tech, 6-foot-4, 206
DT Gerald Willis, Miami (Fla.), 6-foot-2, 302
S Evan Worthington, Colorado, 6-foot-2, 219
