The Baltimore Ravens already have one inarguably elite if somewhat unpredictable wide receiver with 2023 first round pick Zay Flowers.
As 2-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson showed in an injury-plagued 2025 season, he’s going to need more downfield targets as he gets older and his ability to change games with his legs continues to decline.
Getting another elite wide receiver in the 2026 NFL draft might do the trick, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicts the Ravens will do exactly that when they take USC All-American and Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon at No. 14 overall in the first round.
“Lemon is one of my favorite prospects in this class,” Kiper wrote in his first mock draft. “He attacks the ball in the air, and you can see his competitiveness in the way he plays the game. Like Zay Flowers, he’s on the smaller side at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds. But also like Flowers, he still has inside-outside flexibility. Lemon went for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns this past season, and that kind of production could help get Lamar Jackson back to MVP levels.”
Lemon Had Breakout Season in 2025
Lemon was committed to play for Oklahoma out of Los Alamitos (California) High School in 2023 but flipped to USC when Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley left to take the same job with the Trojans.
After he had just 6 receptions for 88 yards and no touchdowns as a freshman in 2023, Lemon started to tap into his potential with 52 receptions for 764 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2024.
In 2025, Lemon finally took the roof off with 79 receptions for 1,156 and 13 total touchdowns — 11 receiving and 2 rushing — in 12 games.
“Makai Lemon is a phenomenal playmaking wide receiver,” Sports Illustrated’s Thomas Martinez wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. ” … As a route runner, Lemon shows off acceleration and body control to manipulate defenders and create separation. He is a shorter wide receiver who has played 70 percent of his snaps in 2025 in the slot and 75 percent over his college career. Due to his size, bigger corners can press and slow his release off of the line. Lining up off the line of scrimmage or using motion helps maximize his skillset.”
Flowers Headed Toward Massive Payday
Flowers has over 1,000 receiving yards each of the last 2 seasons, including career highs of 86 receptions for 1,211 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2025. He’s also a 2-time Pro Bowl selection.
Firmly established as one of a handful top-notch NFL wide receivers, he’s in line for a massive payday this offseason — even though he still has one year left on his 4-year, $14 million rookie contract. Spotrac currently projects Flowers is in line to receive a 3-year, $92.9 million contract extension.
“The first step for the Ravens will likely be picking up the fifth-year option on Flowers’ contract as the 2 sides negotiate a long-term deal this spring,” Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti wrote. “With two Pro Bowl nods under his belt, Flowers’ 5th-year option salary for 2027 now projects to come in at $28M. Baltimore has until May 1st to make a call on this, but it should be noted that the 25-year-old currently holds a $30M projection in our system.”
Insider: Ravens QB Lamar Jackson ‘Back to MVP Level’ With First Round WR