The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best drafting teams in the NFL ever since the franchise began in 1996. They have used multiple strategies in order to build strong draft classes year in and year out, including taking the best player available regardless of need in some circumstances. However, they are also able to identify needs and pick the player who they believe fits their organization both on and off of the field.
In the 2019 NFL draft, Baltimore had a glaring need at wide receiver, and decided to use the 25th overall pick on Marquise Brown, a wideout from Oklahoma. Brown’s selection marked the first wide receiver taken in the draft that year, so he had high expectations. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report named Brown in his “NFL youngsters who are shedding the bust label in 2021” article, citing those high expectations and the players drafted after the former University of Oklahoma star.
“Being the first player off the board at a position is usually going to set the bar high. Not only are such players heavily scrutinized, but they’re always going to be compared to the players at the same position drafted after them…The Baltimore Ravens made former Oklahoma wideout Marquise Brown the 25th overall pick in the 2019 draft. While Brown did flash big-play ability in his first two NFL seasons, he never quite showed the No. 1 potential of later selections like Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf.”
Knox also talked about Brown’s production over his first two seasons, and how it has improved in 2021.
“Brown had 584 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie and 769 yards and eight scores in 2020. Those are respectable numbers in Baltimore’s run-heavy offense, but tight end Mark Andrews served as Lamar Jackson’s No. 1 target, not Brown…That has changed this season, however. Jackson is passing more frequently than in years past, and Brown has become his top option. Though Brown missed Week 11 with a thigh injury, he came into the week leading the Ravens in targets (82), receptions (52), receiving yards (719) and receiving touchdowns (six)…Even with the Week 11 absence, Brown is on pace for 80 receptions, 1,111 yards and nine touchdowns. Those are the sort of numbers fans would expect from the first receiver taken in the draft. Yes, an increase in Baltimore’s passing frequency—Baltimore ranked 32nd in pass attempts last season and 16th through Week 10—has played a role, but Brown is also morphing into more than a complementary deep threat.”
Brown is having the best season of his NFL career so far in 2021, but to say that he even had a bust label attached to him beforehand is a bit premature. Yes, expectations are high for any player who is the first drafted at their position, but Brown had very solid years in his first two professional seasons. He might not have had the production that an A.J. Brown or D.K. Metcalf had, but he fit the Ravens’ offense in his own way.
If Brown had regressed in 2021, then maybe a bust label would be have been a tad more appropriate. However, with what the wide receiver was able to do in a very run-heavy Baltimore offense over his first two years plus his great 2021 season so far, Brown never deserved to have a “bust” label in the first place, regardless of what his peers were doing.