The Baltimore Ravens received 10-plus video games for the third yr in a row and claimed back-to-back AFC North titles for the primary time since 2019 this previous season. They did so with significant contributions from a number of members of their 2024 rookie class that included 9 draft picks, eight of which made the ultimate roster and 7 noticed motion in no less than 4 video games.
Their first two choices performed outstanding roles for the overwhelming majority of the season whereas a number of of their Day 3 picks and their lone undrafted free agent who spent the yr on the lively roster performed predominantly on particular groups.
Sixth-round quarterback Devin Leary was the one draft choose who didn’t make the ultimate minimize after a lackluster preseason and coaching camp the place he couldn’t beat out longtime NFL journeyman Josh Johnson to function the first backup to Lamar Jackson. Right here is how the remainder of Baltimore’s first-year gamers fared of their inaugural season within the league.
CB Nate Wiggins
Photograph by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photographs
In a matchup of first-round rookies, the Giants tried to hit Malik Nabers for touchdowns thrice when matched up 1-on-1 with Nate Wiggins close to the purpose line. Wiggins places the clamps on all three. pic.twitter.com/jQFO2OIQeT
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) December 16, 2024
A knock on Wiggins popping out of faculty was his slight body however that didn’t cease him from taking part in with large physicality when it got here to coming downhill to restrict yards after catch and help in run help. He struggled with being too grabby at the start of the season which is widespread for gamers at his place making the transition from school to the skilled stage. Nonetheless, he realized and confirmed he could possibly be a lockdown nook with correct approach along with uncommon athleticism. Wiggins didn’t surrender his first landing in protection till his playoff debut in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers when a scarcity of self-discipline led to him giving up a rating. Nevertheless, earlier than he let anybody else discover the tip zone in opposition to him, he scored his first profession landing on his first interception.
Wiggins and two-time First Crew All Professional veteran Marlon Humphrey give the Ravens one of many elite cornerback duos within the league. They each rank within the high 5 of lowest opposing passer scores allowed amongst corners with a minimal of 400 protection snaps per NextGen Stats. Humphrey ranked second with a mark of 58.5 and Wiggins got here in fourth with a mark of 59.7. The rookie performed 68% of the group’s whole defensive snaps and completed with 33 whole tackles together with 25 solos.
OT Roger Rosengarten
Photograph by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photographs
The second-rounder’s profession couldn’t have gotten off to a rougher begin in his regular-season debut after he gave up a sack on his first snap. It was all up from there for Rosengarten who started his rookie yr in a two-man rotation with versatile veteran Patrick Mekari. An damage to Andrew Vorhees brought on Mekari to maneuver over to left guard the place he stayed which opened the door for Rosengarten to turn out to be a full-time starter and he took the chance in stride and made essentially the most of it. He began each recreation from Week 4 by means of the playoffs and was on the sector for 100% of the group’s offensive snaps in each recreation throughout that span besides one and he performed 91% within the lone exception.
Whereas Rosengarten known as himself a “nobody” in a viral clip of an alternate between him and reigning Defensive Participant of the Yr Myles Garrett from Onerous Knocks, he proved that was the precise reverse along with his play on the sector. He obtained higher with each begin and performed his greatest in opposition to among the greatest go rushers and defensive fronts within the league along with his most notable performances coming in opposition to seven-time Professional Bowl exterior linebacker T.J. Watt. The Ravens and Steelers squared off thrice together with the postseason and within the second and third conferences, Rosengarten made Watt a non-factor together with utterly shutting him out of the field rating sheet within the wildcard spherical victory.
In Rosengarten, the Ravens haven’t solely discovered their proper deal with for the foreseeable future relying on what occurs in free company with veteran Ronnie Stanley however doubtlessly their subsequent franchise blindside protector if the two-time Professional Bowler isn’t introduced again or even when he’s on a short-term deal.
OLB Adisa Isaac
Geoff Burke-Imagn Photographs
With 4 gamers at edge defender listed forward of him on the depth chart, 5 counting versatile veteran Malik Harrison who performed SAM linebacker for the primary half of the season season earlier than taking part in off ball down the stretch, there weren’t a number of alternatives for Isaac to be lively on recreation days commonly. A tender tissue damage in coaching camp stored him from with the ability to keep on the sector through the preseason and doubtlessly carve out a bigger position previous to the beginning of the common season. Nevertheless, within the 4 video games he was lively, the third-rounder flashed on protection greater than particular groups, recording three whole tackles together with a solo and a deal with for loss in his debut in opposition to the Buffalo Payments in Week 4. He performed 32 defensive snaps to 46 on particular groups and recorded 4 mixed tackles together with two solos and one for loss and a batted go.
WR Devontez Walker
Photograph by Kathryn Riley/Getty Photographs
The Ravens stopped the autumn of Walker early within the fourth spherical and he rapidly drew comparisons to former franchise legend Torrey Smith due to the blazing velocity and explosive vertical play-making capacity. He wasn’t given many alternatives to showcase the sort of deep menace he might be as he was solely focused thrice on his 60 offensive snaps in 11 video games between the common and postseason. Nevertheless, Walker was in a position to take advantage of his first goal by making his first catch and scoring his first profession landing.
It wound up being his solely reception of the season as his second goal sailed over his head whereas he was putting extensive open after Jackson was pressured and he couldn’t corral his third after it slipped by means of his outstretched fingers. After being inactive for the primary six video games of the season, Walker appeared in 9 of the final 11 as he emerged as a core particular groups contributor the place he performed 155 snaps, lined kicks and punts properly and recorded a pair of solo tackles.
CB T.J. Tampa
Photograph by Andy Lyons/Getty Photographs
After being tabbed as one of many steals of the 2024 NFL Draft for falling close to the underside of the fourth spherical regardless of being projected to return off the board as excessive because the late first spherical, Tampa was relegated to main particular groups contributor as a rookie. With a logjam at cornerback in entrance of him on the depth chart between Humphrey, Stephens and Wiggins, there weren’t many snaps for him on protection when he was wholesome. He was inactive for the primary three video games and made his first profession deal with in his Week 4 debut. An ankle damage landed him on injured reserve for seven video games and he appeared within the last three video games of the common season in addition to each playoff video games. Tampa performed 138 particular groups snaps to simply 18 on protection—most of which got here in mop-up obligation on the finish of blowouts—and he completed 4 whole tackles together with one solo.
RB Rasheen Ali
Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs
A neck damage suffered through the preseason delayed the the fifth-round working again’s common season debut by 5 video games and after making it in Week 6, he was inactive for the following six weeks. Ali was lively for the ultimate 5 video games of the common season and performed nearly evenly between offense and particular groups with 29-to-31. Most of his impactful performs on particular groups got here as a kick returner the place he racked up 107 yards on 4 alternatives with a median of 26.8 and lengthy of 38 and he additionally made his lone deal with on an help to carry down a punt returner. Ali’s most in depth and spectacular motion on offense got here in Week 15 in opposition to the Giants the place he ran for 32 yards on eight makes an attempt with an extended of 9 yards and confirmed some good imaginative and prescient and cuts.
Preferred what I noticed from the Ravens’ reserves yesterday.
Rookie RB Rasheen Ali made some good cuts, ran with energy, made tacklers miss.
Ben Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees have been stout at heart and left guard. pic.twitter.com/Inyx4xFgDs
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) December 16, 2024
Ali solely acquired two extra carries the remainder of the season for a web lack of one yard and completed with 31 web dashing yards on 10 carries for a median of three.1 yards per carry. Ali was focused simply twice and didn’t haul in both, dropping one and getting overthrown on the opposite. As a result of the Ravens’ dashing assault was buzzing with veterans Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, there weren’t many snaps, carries or touches to round for any of the opposite gamers on the place. Keaton Mitchell starred as a rookie in 2023 earlier than getting injured and solely carried the ball 15 instances for 30 dashing yards and hauled in his lone goal for a 28-yard catch-and-run.
IOL Nick Samac
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports activities
The one motion on the sector that the seventh-round inside offensive lineman noticed got here within the preseason although he made the ultimate roster. Samac spent the complete common season as a wholesome scratch on the inactive lists whereas fourth-year professional Ben Cleveland served as the first backup for two-time Professional Bowl heart Tyler Linderbaum and Daniel Faalele at proper guard. Through the preseason, Samac carried out properly and commonly earned excessive run and go blocking grades from Professional Soccer focus.
DB Sanoussi Kane
Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Photographs
It didn’t take lengthy for the seventh-round security to place what he brings to the desk on full show as he had fairly the spectacular preseason debut on each protection and particular groups that included making a pair of open subject tackles whereas overlaying punts with out the returner gaining a single yard. Whereas he didn’t get to play a lot on protection with all 22 of his snaps coming in mop-up obligation late within the fourth quarter of blowouts, Kane rapidly established himself as one of many Ravens’ aces on particular groups the place he performed the majority of his snaps as a rookie (325). He served as the private protector for punter Jordan Stout and was a staple on each return and kicking unit. Kane appeared in each recreation however two that he missed with a hamstring and an ankle damage and completed with 9 whole tackles together with 5 solos.
DB Beau Brade
Photograph by Kara Durrette/Getty Photographs
The native product from River Hill, Maryland who performed collegiately instate on the College of Maryland performed his manner onto the roster with a powerful preseason the place he showcased some spectacular playmaking capacity from his security spot. After being inactive for six of the primary seven video games of the common season, Brade was lively for the ultimate 11 and a wholesome scratch for each of the Ravens playoff video games. The previous Terp additionally noticed the overwhelming majority of his taking part in time on particular groups with 207 snaps to simply 11 on protection in cleanup obligation on the finish of blowouts. He completed the season with three whole tackles together with one solo as he spent most of his time on the sector overlaying kicks or blocking on return items.
I do know it’s a bit troublesome to see jersey numbers in a few of these clips however if you wish to know the place Beau Brade (24) is simply search for an opposing participant on the bottom or the place they’re getting tackled.
Bodily and bout that motion. pic.twitter.com/kqIFuwkQ29
— MC (@abukari) October 18, 2024