Film Room: Why Elijah Sarratt Could Be a Steal For The Baltimore Ravens

When it comes to identifying, drafting and developing young talent at premium and non-premium positions alike, the Baltimore Ravens have been among the best in the league across the board at every spot except one: wide receiver.

It took nearly three decades to finally hit on one that emerged as one of the best in the game and made the Pro Bowl as a non-specialist. That player was 2023 first-rounder Zay Flowers, who has been voted to each of the last two AFC all-star rosters after posting back-to-back seasons of 1,000-plus receiving yards and over 1,100 yards from scrimmage.

The Ravens' track record of finding quality contributors at the position aside from special teams in the middle rounds and on Day 3 has been especially poor. One of the lone exceptions thus far has been 1999 fourth-rounder Brandon Stokley, who helped the team win a Super Bowl in his second season and had prolific seasons and won two more Super Bowls elsewhere during his 15-year career.

Fortunately for the Ravens, wide receiver was one of the deepest position groups in the 2026 NFL Draft, and a run on tight ends on Day 2 caused several wideouts who are capable of making immediate impacts to fall out of the top 100 picks and still be on the board in the mid-to-late rounds.

With their first of eight picks on Day 3, the Ravens selected former Indiana standout wide receiver Elijah Sarratt at No. 115 overall in the fourth round, less than 24 hours after taking Ja'Kobi Lane out of USC in the third round.

Even though Sarratt was the lower-drafted of the two, he has the potential and skill set to be an absolute steal for the Ravens as early as his rookie season. Many prominent draft analysts had him projected to come off the board as early as the second round and didn't think he'd make it out of the third.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was also amazed that he lasted until the top half of the fourth and thought he was too good to pass up on, despite having spent their last top 100 pick on a different prospect at the position.

"We are trying to draft best available player whenever we can, and he just was really at that point in the draft – we had some other options, but in our mind, he was clearly the best player still available," DeCosta said during is post-draft press conference.

What makes Sarratt such a great fit and potential steal

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) fights for yards during the Indiana versus Charlotte football game at Memorial Stadium. — Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) fights for yards during the Indiana versus Charlotte football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Best known for his work on the boundary as a contested catch specialist and savant at reeling in the back-shoulder fade, the 6-foot-2 and 210-pounder can line up, run crisp routes and make big plays out of the slot as well.

Unlike Lane, who at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, fits the mold and is best-suited as a traditional 'X' receiver that lines up almost exclusively outside the numbers, Sarratt can be deployed at any of the three spots for the Ravens, including and not limited to the X, Z, or slot. This means he can be interchangeable with Flowers or fellow former first-rounder Rashod Bateman when the Ravens come out in 11 personnel with three receivers on the field.

Eric DeCosta said WR Elijah Sarratt is "really, really good inside."

Sarratt got only 50 pass snaps there last year, per PFF, but the power slot dream is alive. Whip route will play inside, too.

🟣 Yards per route run as outside WR: 2.3
⚫️ Yards per route run in slot: 4.2 pic.twitter.com/21hzpHGbIx
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) April 26, 2026

"I've talked to – the Ravens included – they kind of see me playing all three spots, Sarratt said. "I've traditionlly played outside – played more X [receiver] in college, but a lot of teams see me as a big slot guy, a guy who can work option routes, work the zones, middle of the field and stuff like that.

"They also see me as a Z receiver who can move around, do some motion, do some blocking and stuff. So, I'm just going to try to soak up as much game as I can from the people that I have in the room already, all the coaches or all the players in the organization."

Sarratt's nickname in college was 'Waffle House' because, like the chain restaurant, he was also open and coming up clutch. Even though he doesn't always create separation with his route-running alone, his impressive body control, spatial awareness and strong hands still allow him to come down with the ball even when he's being guarded in tight press-man coverage.

Sarratt comes with championship pedigree and the crucial catch gene

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt kisses the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game. — Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) kisses the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although his former collegiate teammate and first-round pick of the New York Jets, Omar Cooper, finished last season as the Hoosiers' leader in receiving yards by more than 100, Sarratt was right on his heels in receptions with the second-most (65) and led not only the reigning national champions but the entire FBS with 15 touchdown catches.

The Stafford, Virginia native was incredibly prolific in college when it came to moving the chains and finding his way into the end zone. He averaged double-digit touchdowns per season and finished with 44 across his time with three different programs, starting at the FCS level and ending at the highest level of competition on one of the best and most balanced teams in the history of college football.

Touchdown Machine!! @elijah_sarratt

📺: ESPN, ABC, NFL Net pic.twitter.com/i2cqenmEXI
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 25, 2026

When the first overall pick and face of the franchise for the Las Vegas Raiders, Fernando Mendoza, needed a play to be made through the air in a key situation throughout the team's run to a title, he often looked in Sarratt's direction to make it happen. The two of them had a great rapport that was built up through countless reps they took during and outside of practice at his behest, according to reports.

It didn't take Ravens franchise quarterback and two-time league MVP-winner Lamar Jackson to establish a strong connection with Flowers during his rookie year because they got a jump start on it during the summer in their time away from the team in an official capacity.

Sarratt will almost certainly be among the contingent of wideouts on the team that gets together with Jackson away from the Under Armour Performance Center this summer during and after Organized Team Activities, Mandatory Minicamp, and before they report to training camp in late July.

While it remains to be seen how much a Ravens' offense with first-year play-caller Declan Doyle at the helm will deploy 11 personnel compared to 12 or 13 after double-dipping at tight end in the draft as well, if Sarratt can show that he can be a reliable, sure-handed and clutch weapon in the passing game, he'll be seeing the field early and often.

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