Ravens Land Draft's Top TE, Continue to Reload Weapons for Joe Flacco
Baltimore came into the draft with a major need after wide receiver Torrey Smith fled for the 49ers in free agency. With tight end Dennis Pitta now considered a major injury risk, the Ravens had to create a new receiving corps for quarterback Joe Flacco and offensive coordinator Marc Trestman. Nobody needed a rerun of the 2013 Ravens, who finished 24th in passing DVOA as players like undrafted free agent Marlon Brown and washed-up Dallas Clark played huge roles for a depleted skill position group.
The Ravens started the process on Day 1 of the draft by landing Central Florida's Breshad Perriman, a physical specimen who has drop issues but who should give Baltimore a deep receiver to replace Smith. On Day 2, they were able to leapfrog the hated Steelers (at the price of a fifth-round pick) and snag tight end Maxx Williams, the consensus top tight end in the draft and doppelganger of Rotoworld's Josh Norris.
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Williams had only 36 catches for 519 yards last season, but that was actually worthy of note on a Minnesota team that barely bothered throwing the football. The Gophers threw for just 1,844 yards total last season. It wouldn't be particularly surprising if Williams surpassed that total in the NFL next season.
The upside here for the Ravens is that of a good all-around tight end in the Heath Miller or Todd Heap mold. At 6'4", 250 pounds, Williams has the size to match up down the speed and the physicality to win the ball over smaller defensive backs.
Don't mistake those traits as the building blocks for the next seam-stretching Jimmy Graham, though. Williams is plenty fast, but he's not going to consistently get behind a defense. As Matt Waldman wrote in the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, while noting that Williams was his No. 1 tight end, there are still some issues to overcome here:
"Williams is a little more ordinary in the middle of the field. Routes breaking back to the quarterback or matchups in tight, single coverage need refinement. His coordination and grace often disappear at the top of his stem. There isn’t much documented evidence that Williams wins against physical punishment.
The Golden Gophers tight end can cope with physical play and even use it when he has the clear athletic advantage; however, he’s most successful around the ball when he can use more finesse. It is the same for Williams’ work as a blocker.
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Williams will need to improve in these areas to reach his full potential, but the Ravens have such a track record of success that it's hard to believe that they can't develop him past where he currently is.
Most importantly, Williams should help Flacco maintain some of his breakout 2014 season, in which he finished eighth in DVOA with the help of now-Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak. It was the first time Flacco had ever finished above 15th in the metric.
When it comes to critiquing a Ravens draft pick, it's hard not to give some benefit of the doubt. I think Williams is a fit for an offensive coordinator who fed the ball to Martellus Bennett an astonishing 128 times last season. And, certainly, the Bears offense had a lot of statistical success in 2013 when Jay Cutler was healthy and their receiving corps was staggered correctly.
| WR1 | Steve Smith | 79 | 36 |
| WR2 | Breshad Perriman | n/a | 22 |
| WR3 | Marlon Brown | 61 | 24 |
| WR4 | Michael Campanaro | did not qualify | 24 |
| WR5 | Kamar Aiken | 106 | 26 |
| TE1 | Crockett Gilmore | 20 | 24 |
| TE2 | Maxx Williams | n/a | 21 |
| TE3 | Dennis Pitta | 5 | 30 |
The Ravens, as always, are continually staying a step ahead of the game. Williams won't be the kind of player who can get a step on a defensive back, but he's a good bet to develop into a steady all-around tight end. Which is more than can be said for most of this tight end class.
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