Did The Ravens Take The Better WR In The Later Round? NFL GMs Weigh In

The Ravens doubled-down on receivers in the mid rounds, at the expense of a potential premium DT. Other NFL GMs evaluate the players and the process.

Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (8) breaks a tackle by Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Tae Johnson (9) during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

History tells us that the Ravens will end up finding a steal in one of the mid-round receivers they selected over the weekend, and, well, notsomuch with the other.

There are few givens when it comes to the draft, but this is a phenomenon the Ravens have leaned into many times over the years – and quite often at pass catcher – and it generally brings mixed results. And it’s usually the young man drafted second of the bunch who shines, a la Mark Andrews (instead of Hayden Hurst) in 2018, or Dennis Pita instead Ed Dickson in 2010.

You get the idea.

Based on conversations with general managers, evaluators and longtime personnel men who studied this draft, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the trends holds true here again based on what this GM had to ay about their draft. So now is as good a time as any to break down the two receivers the Ravens selected in the mid-rounds, but not without a PSA first:

Should The Ravens Draft Have Turned Orange?

No one I spoke to had Ja’Kobi Lane, selected 80th overall, as a prospect with as high a grade as Iowa State defensive tackle Domonique Orange, who went two picks later to defensive maven Brian Flores in Minnesota, even though the Vikings had already reached in the eyes of many for a DT in the first round. (Perhaps that because of comps like this)

Regardless of position, and particularly when you factor in the Ravens current roster. Not even really close. Take out the fact that all but one preferred the fourth-round receiver, Elijah Sarratt, to Lane at pick 80, let alone at 114 where they got Sarratt.  

“I’d take Orange (over Lane),” one GM said. “We like Lane but we love Orange. Stunned he was still there. I know we say that about a lot of these kids, but we were surprised (the Ravens) didn’t take him. There were a lot of receivers to go around, but this wasn’t a good defensive tackle draft and that kid has a chance to be great. That would have been a great fit, too.”

I asked another GM about this fork in the round at pick 80. He jumped in: “For us?” I said, sure. “I really like Orange.” And what about for the Ravens? “Orange.”

Lane vs Sarratt

For as much talk as there has been about these players being perhaps somewhat redundant as big X receivers (split out opposite the tight end, likely to see some press-man coverage), they have sufficient variance and do compliment one another. The chore for rookie offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will be not making it a tell when one replaces the other in a personnel group.

Sarratt is more NFL ready from a physicality standpoint and he can win in high-traffic areas more readily. Neither is going to turn on the afterburners, but there was something about the way Sarratt used his body and the way he blocks.

Here are a few snippets:

GM 1: “Sarratt has a better chance to become a starting receiver. He can do more things to stay on the field … Lane is great the air, and we like his athleticism, but I think Sarratt is the better NFL receiver. He has more to offer.”

GM 2: “We like Sarratt more than the other Indiana receiver (Omar Cooper, selected 30th overall), honestly. Not just for where he was picked, but in general. That’s the only thing the Jets may have (messed) up with their first five picks … Sarratt is ready to go. He’s going to help them this season.”

Time Will Tell

Lane may take longer to fully blossom, adding another longtime personnel exec who spent a lot of time on the pass catchers in this draft. “It’s kind of finesse (in Lane) vs power (Sarratt). There’s room for both.” Will Lane be more of a redzone guy, with a knack for fades in the endzone?

It’s hard to see either displacing Rashod Bateman as the only real outside deep threat on the team, with Zay Flowers doing to much of his damage in the middle of the field. Both of these kids will be given a wide swath to show what they can do in training camp.

Have a feeling Sarratt will be more productive now in the future, and Lane will provide more moments of brilliance and splash plays. And if Nnadmi goes down again, neither one will be able to do a damn thing about it.

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