Drafting the Perfect Wide Receiver: The Ravens' Dilemma

It's that time of year again for the Baltimore faithful.

You know, the time of year when Sunday's seem to have lost their meaning.

Yes, the countdown to the 2009 NFL Draft. The Combine is basically over, the numbers are in, free-agency is about to begin and that same old story is singing once again throughout the streets of Baltimore.

"Wouldn't it be great if we drafted a wide receiver in the first round this year? You bet it would!"

Each year, it seems, our team seems to have a glaring necessity for a consistent wide receiver to play opposite of Derrick Mason. That hasn't changed much since the day professional football returned to Baltimore. Remember Travis Taylor? Demetrius Williams?

Simply put, drafting and/or signing free-agent wide receivers seem to be the single largest problem for Ozzie Newsome, our god-like general manager. His Achilles' heel, some would say. Just a quick look at most of the other draft pick's he has made shows a penchant for finding Hall of Fame production in almost every round of the draft.

But I'm not here today to discuss such notables as Jonathan Ogden, our lock-Hall of Fame offensive lineman, or Ray Lewis, our lock-Hall of Fame middle linebacker. Most every NFL fan, especially the ones in Baltimore are already well aware of how good Newsome is at drafting anyone BUT a wide receiver.

So this year, I thought i'd give Ozzie and his management staff a helping hand. By providing my own personal insight and analysis on some of the more highly touted WR's in the 2009 NFL Draft, hopefully this will reach his ears and eyes and aide him in finding the productive and consistent WR that we have been looking for. Since 1998.

Hey, maybe we'll find this year's DeSean Jackson, picked in the 2nd round last year by the Philadelphia Eagles. I wouldn't mind using a pick outside of the 1st round, and so this scouting report will not be limited to this year's top tier talent.

In the meanwhile, even if this never reaches Ozzie Newsome, hopefully some of you, my friends and fans on Bleacher Report will enjoy and gather valuable information from this report.

Michael's 2009 Pre-Draft Analysis: Wide Receivers

1. Michael Crabtree - 1st Round, Texas Tech:

Positives: Ultra productive, competitive playmaker with prototypical size... Excellent hands, able to snatch balls out of the air... Secures balls quickly after making catch... Uses size, quickness and hands to get separation... Runs quick slants and uses suddenness to take the route upfield...

Excellent body control to make grabs in traffic, adjust to poor throws, tiptoe the sideline and find his way through creases... Can turn his man out, giving his QB a big target down the seam... Quick to stop and adjust for balls thrown behind him... Able to play outside, in the slot and in the backfield... Consistently makes plays after the catch.

Good attitude and good teammate with no major ego problems.

Negatives: Must speed up release... Does not have elite speed to separate from quick CBs on the outside... Not sudden with ball in hands, must learn to use size and speed instead of dancing around... Must improve consistent downfield blocking... Runs with ball loose in open field.

Michael's Analysis: Obviously has the great speed, size and skill set to instantly be a playmaker in the Baltimore Ravens' offense. Has very few negatives, and the negatives he has can be learned. Only major problem is that we would have to give up too much draft value to move up to get him. Otherwise, would almost certainly be a short-term and long-term asset to our team.

2. DARIUS HEYWARD-BEY - 1st round, Maryland:

Positives: Elite, exceptional straight-line speed, opponents must account for his deep speed on every play... Long, lean athlete w/ long arms & strong hands... Has agility to make plays in space... Reads field and follows downfield blocks to gain yards after catch... Can snatch balls out of the air... Good leaping ability, has become more consistent timing his leaps.

Negatives: One trick pony at this time... Might be draft's most dangerous vertical threat, but offers little else... Struggles to generate consistent separation... Not as effective on jump balls as he should be given his natural size advantage...

Double-clutches the ball sometimes... Toughness a question across the middle... Lacks strength and consistent effort as downfield blocker.

Michael's Analysis: The fastest WR in the draft, with elite size and speed, Heyward-Bey is a little raw as a NFL prospect. Will probably not succeed at the next level immediately, will need time to move into starting rotation.

Otherwise, an asset to Baltimore, as we need both speed and height to upgrade our roster of WRs. Immediate benefits would include ability to stretch the field and provide a large target that Flacco would instantly appreciate downfield against slower/older CBs. Again, might be gone by the time Baltimore drafts (26th).

3. JEREMY MACLIN - 1st round (possibly 2nd), Missouri:

Positives: Good overall build... Explosive straight-line speed and quickness during breaks... Agile, can make defenders miss in traffic... Natural playmaker who is a threat to score on every snap... Versatile, can make plays in the running, receiving or return game...

Natural pass-catcher... Good body control to make the spectacular catch... Explosive leaper... High effort player... Courageous across the middle... Blocks downfield... Showed mental toughness returning from terrible knee injury in '06.

Negatives: Raw route-runner... Relies on athletic ability, doesn't explode out of cuts as well as he could... Takes eyes off defender while preparing to make him miss, resulting in dropped balls... Production possibly inflated due to his role in high-octane Mizzou offense... Requires medical check on knee.

Michael's Analysis: I rate him higher then Heyward-Bey, slightly, overall due to his natural skill-set and agility. He may drop to our drafting position due to concern over his knee injury, however, I see no reason if his physicals come back clean that he wouldn't be a steal if his draft stock falls.

Best assets have to be his explosiveness, similar to a young Steve Smith, and his courage and effort given on every play. Overall, other then his knee, I don't see many negatives that couldn't be learned through coaching technique.

4. PERCY HARVIN - 1st round, Florida:

Positives: Strong and compact... Rare straight-line speed and quickness... Agile and elusive in traffic... Good vision in space... Sets up blocks and can cut across the grain... Decent route-runner...

Strong, secure hands... Courage across the middle... Catches pass and quickly turns upfield to maximize production... Able to catch outside his body to make spectacular plays... Versatile athlete who can run, catch and possibly return... Durability issues, but considered physically tough.

Negatives: Looks shorter on film than 5'11"... Many plays were slip screens designed to give him the ball quickly, open in space... Could struggle in a more pro-style offense... Many receivers from Meyer's offense have lacked production at the NFL-level... Durability issues, with ankle and hip injuries and tendinitis in his knee and heel.

Michael's Analysis: Would be an asset, but would need a great deal of time becoming a regular consistent WR in Baltimore's offense. Harvin missed many practices and games due to nagging injuries, this consistent problem with durabiliy is a major red flag in my book.

Former WRs in Urban Meyer's offense have struggled to be productive in the NFL, again raising concerns of wasting a high draft pick on him. I personally wouldn't draft him unless he falls to our 2nd round drafting position (57th).

5. Hakeem Nicks - 2nd round(possibly 3rd), North Carolina:

Positives: Good initial quickness... Good strength and lateral agility to battle press coverage... Sneaky downfield speed... Good burst in breaks generate separation, especially on slants... Rare body control for a player his size...

Can contort body to make impossible receptions... Sticky hands, can catch outside or shield with his body against impending hit... Know's where he is and needs to go on field... Good height/leaping ability... Rare strength, agility and balance to gain yards after catch... Good vision to cut across the grain... Has immense upside.

Negatives: Questionable deep speed... May lack top-end speed to challenge NFL DBs, allowing them to close off crossing-routes on which Nicks had great success... North Carolina has three legitimate NFL-caliber receivers this year, which Nicks used to spread defenses thin.

Michael's Analysis: Probably the most physically strong and dominating receiver in the upper echelon of the '09 draft, Nicks would be a great possession receiver. Good size and speed would be an instant upgrade since most of our WRs are much shorter then we would like.

No durability issues and ability to fight for balls/cross the middle of the field make him probably the best bet for our draft, we could possibly draft him and keep our 1st round pick intact. He is very underrated, making him play with a chip on his shoulder; Exactly what our team wants in it's WRs.

6. Brian Robiskie - 2nd round(possibly 3rd), Ohio State:

Positives: Father is a current NFL coach... Prototypical height, long arms and strong build for a WR... Good hands/body control, allowing him to make difficult catches in traffic... Can tightrope the sideline/end zone...

Is effective lining up in the slot or outside... Uses long arms and size to get off press coverage and negate small CBs on running plays... Shows ability to separate from smaller, speedier defenders... Shows elusiveness as a punt returner and to gain yards after catch... Uses his frame well to gain advantage anywhere on the field...

Negatives: May not have the speed or quickness to separate from NFL-caliber corners... Mixes it up with defenders, sometimes too much... Lacks consistent technique blocking, sometimes struggling to block moving targets... Not a breakaway threat on punt returns, with a tendency to dance around.

Michael's Analysis: Playing in a Pro-style offense and having a NFL coach as a father provide a safety blanket for Robiskie, in terms of technique and natural advantage over other less-mature players in the draft. I cannot say how important of a bonus this is to me. His straight-line speed seems very sound, he ran a 4.50 in the 40 at the '09 Combine.

Great blocking WR, a bonus since most receivers being drafted know next to nothing about being an asset in the run game. He appears to be ready to play at the next level, the transition from playing WR at Ohio State to the NFL is a much smaller gap then usual. Previous players from Ohio State have been productive at the NFL level, on both sides of the ball.

Ted Ginn of the Miami Dolphins made great strides in becoming a solid No. 1 receiver in his 2nd year in the NFL. Overall, I believe drafting Robiskie in the 2nd or 3rd round is about as safe as we can get in terms of a WR.

His natural ability, size, speed and suprising agility in addition to the record of his predecessors at Ohio State and his NFL pedigree make him one of my favorites, increasing his draft stock in my opinion greatly.

As much as I like or dislike these 6 top-tier college receivers, my analysis is incomplete at best, much more homework still needs to be done before any of these receivers should be drafted by my team or any team in the NFL.

Hopefully Ozzie gets over the hump this year, and decides that even though his track record is abysmal when drafting WRs, it remains one of our most pressing needs and probably won't change on it's own.

The receivers that will appear in the free-agency period this year are slim pickings at best, even the restricted free-agents are headed into a time of troubles at the end of next season.

Because the NFL decided to opt out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for 2010, those restricted free agents will most likely not be able to become UFA's until they have completed 6 full seasons, rather than 4.

This means that we cannot rely on free-agency, not this year or for the next couple years. I personally believe it is time for Ozzie to work his draft magic and make a run at the one or two WR's that he thinks will be a franchise player for years to come.

Certainly we have other pressing issues, such as drafting an OG or LB to supplant either Ray Lewis or Bart Scott and Jason Brown probably leaving in free-agency this year.

But honestly, other then that, we absolutely need a WR. We have been getting by on scraps since Shannon Sharpe left Baltimore, what use is it to have a big strong-armed QB like Joe Flacco if we don't have either a young deep threat like Eddie Royal or a tall receiver who can fight for jump balls like Plaxico Burress?

As I said before, i'm pleading with the Raven's management, Steve Biscotti, Ozzie Newsome and even our Head Coach, Jon Harbaugh.

Please, bring an elite receiver home to Baltimore.

-Michael ([e-mail], who personally likes Jeremy Maclin, then Hakeem Nicks, then Brian Robiskie. Oh and it would be nice to have Heyward-Bey, being as he's a local Maryland-er, but he might cost too much for too little.)