Getty The Ravens can draft a WR compared to one star Bengals pass-catcher.
The Baltimore Ravens need a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver, so they should select a 2023 NFL draft size-and-speed mismatch who’s thrived “in a run-first offensive scheme” in college.
That’s just what Quentin Johnston has done and why the Ravens have been named among the best fits for the TCU star by ESPN’s Matt Miller. The Ravens can even save themselves some scouting time because Johnston’s best pro comparison is Cincinnati Bengals’ wideout Tee Higgins, a pass-catcher the Ravens have seen plenty of in recent seasons.
Towering WR1 Perfect for Ravens
Miller received a glowing endorsement of Johnston’s talent and attitude from one NFL general manager: “Johnston has the size to be a WR1, but he also has the mental and physical makeup to become a great player. He’s good now, but he’ll work his ass off to become great.”
Johnston has other fans, including Mike Renner of PFF College:
2023 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Wide Receivers♨️
Johnston’s production of 59 catches, 1,066 yards and six touchdowns isn’t eye-popping, but an area scout told Miller the player’s performed above expectations given the limitations of TCU’s offense: “They’ve got an average quarterback and they run the ball nonstop there. So he might catch four balls, but you have to see the way he plays the pass in the air and how physically dominant he is at the catch point to appreciate his game.”
Experience having to do more with less would help Johnston quickly adapt to Baltimore’s offense. The Ravens still lean on the running game and use selective passes that usually target defenses between the numbers. Their approach makes big plays through the air scarce, but Johnston could change all of that.
As Miller noted, “Johnston is a post-up problem for defensive backs, but he also shows a second gear when running away from coverage and would-be tacklers. He has forced 24 missed tackles on catches this season (fourth-most in the FBS), and his 239 receiving yards after first contact rank seventh.”
Johnston was dominant after the catch at various points this season, particularly during the Fiesta Bowl, per Rob Paul of With the First Pick:
Quentin Johnston is truly built different… just so damn big and fast. Rare YAC ability for a receiver of his size.
WR1 in the 2023 NFL Draft now has 158 yards and this score on 4 catches in the Fiesta Bowl.
His ability to break tackles and hit another gear with the ball in his hands would turn the Ravens’ short-range pass plays into long gains. So would his ability to stretch defenses vertically, a quality Johnston showed on this 76-yard scoring grab against Kansas State, highlighted by Luca Sartirana of Mike Farrell Sports:
TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston is by far the most complete pass catcher in the 2023 draft class.
A bully at the catch point who’s also a major YAC threat and a lethal deep threat.
The Ravens don’t have a marquee deep threat among their receiving corps. Nor do they boast a physical specimen similar to the 6’4″ target, with Rashod Bateman the tallest wideout on the roster at 6’2″.
Bateman needs to get healthy after season-ending foot surgery and then be equipped with another gifted receiver. Having a clutch of playmakers at the position helped the Bengals go from obscurity to one of the best teams in the AFC, with Higgins more than playing his part.
Ravens Need to Follow Bengals’ Blueprint at WR
It takes more than just one productive wideout to make an explosive passing game. The Bengals are ample proof of that because Higgins has more than complemented 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja’Marr Chase.
Like Chase, Higgins has tallied back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He’s done it by using a 6’4″, 219-pound frame the way Johnston uses his physicality to body defensive backs and make plays.
The Ravens found out about Higgins’ brilliance the hard way when he made 12 catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns during a 41-21 Bengals win in Week 16 last season. He scored twice inside the red zone, but also showcased his deep threat on this 52-yard grab:
Tee Higgins with an amazing catch in double coverage | #bengals vs #ravens #nfl #nfltwitter
Johnston has a similar ability to make any jump ball his own.
Combining his talents with Bateman’s speed and Devin Duvernay’s versatility, would put the Ravens closer to owning the kind of diverse and dynamic passing attack they’ve been missing for too long.