Getty The Ravens can finally replace Hollywood Brown.
Trading Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown to the Arizona Cardinals netted the Baltimore Ravens an extra first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, a selection that became dominant center Tyler Linderbaum. Yet, the decision not to directly replace Brown further impacted an already suspect group of wide receivers.
The Ravens can finally correct their mistake, albeit a year too late, by taking Brown’s natural replacement in the opening round of this year’s draft. Tennessee flanker Jalin Hyatt is the obvious choice, according to Josh Edwards of CBS Sports.
Hyatt possesses the vertical speed to transform the Ravens’ pedestrian passing game. His big-play threat would also create more space to help a gifted but brittle and struggling Ravens wideout thrive.
Ravens Can Fix 2 Problems With Right Choice
Edwards named Hyatt the best choice for the Ravens for two reasons: “Baltimore adds some speed to the offense to replace Hollywood Brown. His ability to stretch the defense should take some pressure off of Rashod Bateman working underneath.”
The first of those reasons is the most obvious deficiency in this passing game. It’s a weakness summed up by the Ravens tallying just 29 completions for 20 yards or more, the second fewest in the NFL. Averaging a mere 6.6 yards per attempt is further proof of how much the Ravens struggle to stretch defenses vertically.
Stocking up on veteran retreads hasn’t solved the problem, with neither 36-year-old DeSean Jackson nor Sammy Watkins, 29, the force they once were. Brown used to be the field-stretcher the Ravens could count on, averaging over 11 yards per grab in each of his three seasons in Baltimore.
Hyatt can offer an even greater threat after averaging 18.9 yards a catch for the Volunteers in 2022. He defined his game by beating coverage deep, something highlighted by With the First Pick contributor Rob Paul:
Even when you give Jalin Hyatt an 8-yard cushion, his speed can get you. Little out-and-up against the safety and it’s an easy six.
The Tennessee WR will bring instant juice to the vertical passing game of whichever teams selects him in the NFL Draft.
If Hyatt transfers his game-breaking speed to the pros, he’ll force NFL defenses to play with the same cushion and keep safeties deep. Those coverage looks will help Rashod Bateman the way Edwards described.
Bateman Needs Help
Injuries have cost Bateman 15 games since he entered the league as the 27th player drafted in 2021, but health isn’t his only issue. Bateman also suffers from teams being able to clamp on the underneath passing routes against a Ravens passing attack overly reliant on working between the hashmarks.
Across the middle is where Bateman works best, like for this third-down conversion against the Cleveland Browns, highlighted by Ravens.com editorial director Ryan Mink:
Over scissors concept leaves the Browns LB caught in the middle on key third-and-11 conversion to Rashod Bateman (Ravens scored TD on this drive). Good job by Lamar buying some time and getting his throwing base right to get enough on this throw. @R_bateman2 is a YAC monster.
The Ravens managed to run one Browns defensive back deep to open a crossing route for Bateman. Imagine how many more plays like this No. 7 would make against two-deep coverage.
Hyatt has the pedigree to help Bateman be more active underneath. Of Hyatt’s 15 touchdown catches in 2022, six have covered more than 50 yards, while he’s also made 40-plus-yard receptions a happy habit:
Among the 296 FBS players targeted at least 50 times, Hyatt ranks first with an average of 14.2 yards per target. He leads all FBS players with eleven 40 yards+ receptions. @jalinhyatt #OutstandingReceiver #NCFAA
Numbers like those mean Hyatt will be the primary focus of every defense he faces. The legitimate big-play dimension he provides has been missing from one half of the Ravens’ offense for too long. It won’t be solved until the franchise is bold enough to invest in a receiver whose profile features explosive deep speed.
At 6’0″ and 175 pounds, Hyatt is not the most physically imposing wideout, but he’s got the same profile and playing style as 5’10”, 175-pound Jackson. The latter is past his prime, but if the Ravens select the next D-Jax, they’ll soon forget their mistake of not initially replacing Brown.