Are the Ravens targeting D.K. Metcalf in 1st Round?
By Bryan Perez
Is D.K. Metcalf the next Terrell Owens? The Baltimore Ravens front office thinks they’re very similar players.
The Baltimore Ravens have a need at wide receiver entering the 2019 NFL draft, and they’re one of the most likely teams to use a first-round pick on a pass-catcher. With QB Lamar Jackson entering his second season, it’s critical that the Ravens surround him with playmakers who can take advantage of his dynamic skill-set as a keep-plays-alive quarterback.
One player who appears to be in the Ravens’ crosshairs is Ole Miss’ D.K. Metcalf, who GM Eric DeCosta and Director of College Scouting Joe Hortiz compared to two dominant receivers, one of whom is a Hall-of-Famer.
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“He’s big and fast, he’s caught a lot of touchdowns, he’s caught a lot of big plays,” Decosta said Tuesday. “He’s a guy that we’re looking at, along with 200 other prospects in the draft, and we’ll assess D.K. versus the field.
“How does he stack up versus these other guys at all these other positions, and we’ll have a decision on draft day.”
Hortiz compared Metcalf to former Broncos standout Demaryius Thomas for his size-speed combination, but DeCosta took it one step further.
“With the football, maybe a Terrell Owens, running with the football after the catch.”
Owens was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer after recording nearly 16,000 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns.
If DeCosta sees an Owens-type player in Metcalf? You can write his name in pen to the Ravens at No. 22 if he’s still on the board.
Other receivers who could interest the Ravens in the first round include Hakeem Butler (Iowa State), Deebo Samuel (South Carolina) A.J. Brown (Ole Miss) and N’Keal Harry (Arizona State).