Isaiah Likely: Ravens Biggest Preseason Winner
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens rookie tight end Isaiah Likely burst onto the preseason and was one of the team's most dominant players.
The Ravens hope that success translates once the games count.
Likely recently was named one of the NFL's "Preseason Winners" by Pro Football Focus.
"Another player looking to be a mid-round steal, Isaiah Likely is sending people back to the tape to find out why they overlooked him. At Coastal Carolina, Likely’s grades improved each year and his final two seasons were above 90.0. He generated at least 2.70 yards per route run in each of the last two seasons and dropped only nine passes in four years while averaging almost 7.0 yards after the catch over the last couple of seasons. Likely might not be much of a factor as a blocker, but he is polished and dominant enough as a receiver that it doesn’t matter."
Likely, a fourth-round pick from Coastal Carolina, made plays in the middle of the field and beat cornerbacks for long completions throughout the OTAs and training camp.
In the second preseason game against the Cardinals, Likely caught 8 passes for 100 yards with a touchdown.
He quickly caught the attention of coach John Harbaugh.
"Isaiah Likely has made a bunch of plays; he’s a big target out there," Harbaugh said. "He has a catch radius. You can see it. He can go get passes that aren’t right on the spot, and he can extend and go get them.”
The Ravens might have gotten a steal by selecting Likely with the 139th overall pick.
He could be a major impactful player as a rookie.
"[Harbaugh] just understood that my versatility was really unmatched," Likely said. "I come to a unique offense like the Ravens where you have a great quarterback in Lamar Jackson and really just a bunch of pieces, and then you have a Pro Bowler in Mark Andrews.
"Just being able to learn under him and be able to just do what I do on the football field is what I bring to the Ravens.”
