Darren Waller to Baltimore Ravens: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The Baltimore Ravens did a fantastic job of addressing their biggest needs in the 2015 NFL draft. 

Wide receiver was their biggest weakness, and they addressed it with two solid picks. After grabbing UCF's Breshad Perriman in Round 1, Baltimore got a nice steal in Georgia Tech's Darren Waller at pick No. 204—its final pick of the draft. 

How Waller Fits the Ravens

In terms of value versus what round he was taken in, Waller may have been the best pick the Ravens made this year. Some services had Waller going as high as the third round. 

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein rated Waller as a third- or fourth-round prospect while comparing him to St. Louis Rams receiver Brian Quick. 

For Baltimore to get that kind of prospect in the sixth round is a huge win. What made it even better was Baltimore was still thin at wideout before the pick.

The selection of Perriman in Round 1 was not enough to account for the Ravens' razor-thin depth at the position. After getting Perriman and Waller, now it looks a lot better going into next season.

The 6'6", 238-pound Waller is a mammoth of a receiver who will be a tremendous red-zone target in the NFL. Even more impressive was his 4.46 40-yard dash at that size. 

At Georgia Tech, Waller was asked to block a ton in the Yellow Jackets' triple-option offense. That led to him having limited production in his college career with just 51 catches for 971 yards (19 yards per catch) and nine scores. 

Waller became more of a featured weapon in the offense as a senior, catching 26 passes for 442 yards and six touchdowns. He capped off his college career with a five-catch, 114-yard performance in the Orange Bowl in a win over Mississippi State. 

The 40-yard speed was evident in his career yards per catch (19). Most of his routes were deep down the field, which gives the Ravens another deep threat for Joe Flacco's big arm. 

Still, Waller is going to be a project at the NFL level, and it may take him a year or two getting acclimated to becoming an NFL receiver versus being a triple-option wideout in college.

In fact, NFL Network's Mark Dulgerian thinks Waller could move to tight end at the pro level.

"Baltimore adds a giant perimeter receiver who had limited positional development playing in Georgia Tech's run-option system," Dulgerian wrote. "Some see him as a potential tight end convert. Regardless, he has the rare size and ball skills resemble (Marc) Trestman's receiving corps in Chicago.

Even if Waller can't play significant snaps as a rookie, he still should be used when Baltimore is in the red zone. He'll be too difficult for most NFL defensive backs to cover with his size and athleticism.

Initial Reaction to Waller Selection

Waller might not be ready to contribute a lot as a rookie, but he oozes with the kind of talent possessed by some of the best receivers in the game. 

If Waller stays focused and works his tail off to adjust to the NFL game, he could become a legitimate No. 1 or 2 receiver at the NFL level.

The thought of what he and Perriman would do if they reach their full potential is a scary thought for the rest of the NFL.

This could be the future of the Ravens' receiving corps.