The long wait is over for the Baltimore Ravens, who finally possess a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. It’s Zay Flowers, and he’s changing the narrative about what it means to be an alpha wideout in the NFL, according to a pair of franchise greats.
Former Ravens receivers Steve Smith Sr. and Torrey Smith have pushed back on the idea 5-foot-9, 183-pound Flowers doesn’t fit the prototype of a go-to target. Smith Sr. knows all about defying that expectation, and the 5-foot-9 former five-time Pro Bowler offered the strongest rebuttal to Flowers’ critics.
The 47-year-old who recorded a 1,000-yard season for the Ravens in 2014, put it bluntly, per Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink: “I don’t care if a guy is short, tall, fat, round. If you can play, you’re a short player that can play. If you can’t, you’re a short player that can’t play. I don’t like Zay because he’s a short guy. I like him because he can just play football.”
Here’s what Steve had to say:
“I don’t care if a guy is short, tall, fat, round. If you can play, you’re a short player that can
This defiant take was echoed by Smith, who helped the 2012 Ravens win a Super Bowl. He believes Flowers is making fans think differently about who they view as a primary receiver.
Zay Gets His Flowers from 1,000-yd Receivers
Smith, who hardly possessed prototypical size as a 6-foot, 205-pound burner, thinks many NFL fans still rigidly measure No. 1 receivers against a fixed template. He believes “They’re used to Jerry Rice, they’re used to Randy Moss — these guys that are over six foot, weighing around 200 pounds. Those are the guys they see as ‘No. 1,’ but at the end of the day, if that same guy is 5’9″ and he still has five catches for 140 yards, it’s still five for 140. At the end of the day, production matters. People like to discriminate against size, but the reality is Zay’s proven it in the past and he’s for sure proven this year that he’s one of the top guys in the league,” per Mink.
Flowers is changing hearts and minds with the way he’s running riot early in the 2026 NFL season. The Ravens paid Flowers this offseason, after he’d posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns. Many felt handing Flowers a contract worth $140 million was an act of madness, but he’s justifying the money.
A play like this artful and elusive run after the catch against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5 underlines Flowers’ value.
Possessing a naturally low center of gravity and the innate shiftiness of a smaller receiver makes Flowers an after-catch demon. Smith Sr. thinks “it’s cool that he’s doing something he’s not supposed to be doing at his height. I think if you look at wide receivers for what they are and not for what they don’t have, you can really enjoy their game.”
Flowers’ physical attributes are proving to be assets, rather than detrimental to his game. He’s also benefitting from subtle changes to his role made by new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
Ravens Changed the Gameplan for No.1 Receiver
The change involves where Flowers is lining up before the snap. Mink pointed out Flowers has “lined up nearly as often in the slot (74 snaps) as out wide (71), per Pro Football Focus. He’s even been in the backfield five times. Last season, Flowers lined up outside on nearly two-thirds of his snaps.”
Doyle’s shifted Flowers from outside the numbers, where most dominant receivers often feast. Doyle revealed the extent of his new plan for Flowers during the 24-18 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 4.
Flowers “ran 19 routes from the slot today, the most of any game in his career, per @SumerSports. He also ran his 3rd most crossing routes in a game today,” per Shawn Syed.
He also ran his 3rd most crossing routes in a game today
Flowers is so prolific between the hashmarks, the Ravens can ill afford to be without him. It’s no coincidence the only game they’ve lost this season was when Flowers was missing against the New Orleans Saints. A hamstring injury that’s been a lingering nuisance sidelined Flowers, and the Ravens failed to score 20 points for the only time.
Now he’s healthy, Flowers can join “a short list of receivers who have led the NFL in receiving yards at sub six feet tall in the modern era: Steve Smith (2005), Antonio Brown (2014 and 2017), T.Y. Hilton (2016), and Tyreek Hill (2023),” according to Mink.
Flowers has “watched a lot of Smith, Brown, Hill, and Santana Moss, taking parts of their styles and mixing it with his own.”
Joining this list won’t be easy, but Flowers is playing in the right scheme, designed by the right creative play-caller. His production will increase once franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson returns from his own injury woes.
All signs point toward Flowers continuing to change the narrative about No. 1 receivers.
Ex-Ravens Wide Receivers Push Back on Zay Flowers Narrative