Where Did 2021 Ravens Rookie Class Rank With Rest of NFL?
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens rookies finished the season ranked 25th among all NFL draft classes, according to Pro Football Focus.
"The Ravens' draft class was supposed to be impactful with two first-round selections, two third-round selections and four more picks in the fourth and fifth rounds," PFF wrote. "Given that, the results from players such as Rashod Bateman, Odafe Oweh, Brandon Stephens and Ben Cleveland were somewhat underwhelming. None of those four players cleared 0.1 wins above a replacement-level player at their position."
The New England Patriots were ranked No. 1, followed by the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were ranked 16th and the Cincinnati Bengals were ranked 23rd.
Here's a breakdown of the 2021 Ravens drafts class' performance.
First-round (27th overall)
Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Overview: Bateman overcame an early injury and was one of the team’s most productive players on offense. He played in 12 games, including four starts, and finished with 36 receptions for 515 yards with one touchdown.
"Things weren't ideal for Bateman to begin his NFL career, as he missed the first five weeks with a groin injury, which prevented him from building chemistry with Lamar Jackson. Bateman didn't get the remainder of the season to work on that chemistry with Jackson, either, as Jackson missed time with injury and illness, which resulted in 1.3 yards per route run and an 80.0 passer rating when targeted for the rookie out of Minnesota," PFF wrote.
First-round (31st overall)
Odafe Oweh, OLB, Penn State
Overview: He dominated opponents early but appeared to hit the rookie wall near the end of the season. He played in 15 games, including two starts, and was second on the team with five sacks.
Third round (94th overall)
Ben Cleveland, G, Georgia
Overview: Cleveland was slowed by injuries but played better down the stretch. He appeared in 12 games with four starts.
Third round (104th overall)
Brandon Stephens, DB, SMU
Overview: Stephens took over the starting job when DeShon Elliott was placed on IR and a solid contributor despite having little experience playing safety.
Fourth round (131st overall)
Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State
Overview: Wallace bade his mark mostly on special teams but could get more opportunities on offense next season.
Fifth round (160th overall)
Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
Overview: The Ravens likely want this pick back because Wade was traded to the New England Patriots during training camp after it didn't appear that he was going to make the team.
Fifth round (171st overall)
Daelin Hayes, DE, Notre Dame
Overview: Hayes initially struggled to get on the field and then was later placed on IR. He needs more time to develop.
Fifth round (184th overall)
Ben Mason, FB, Michigan
Overview. This was a confusing pick. Mason was placed on the practice squad after training camp and later signed by the Patriots. He was later released and signed with the Bears practice squad. The Ravens then re-signed him on Jan. 21, as a possible replacement for Pat Ricard, who is a free agent.
