Raven Country

Former WR Says Ravens Rookie Will Take Starting Job

Baltimore Ravens legend Steve Smith Sr. had kind words the team's fourth-round rookie.

Jeremy Brener

Oct 7, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Devontez
Oct 7, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Devontez / Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
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The Baltimore Ravens are adding to their receiver room with fourth-round pick Devontez Walker, and while he may only be a rookie, there's a chance he has true staying power in the league.

Steve Smith Sr., who played under John Harbaugh with the Ravens from 2014-16, believes Walker will develop well under his former coach and possibly be a key contributor to the offense someday.

"You'll see dramatic change once he gets in the building," Smith Sr. said on his show "Cut to It" on Underdog Fantasy. "Then once he gets an offseason, I would say his second year, he [can] come out and take somebody's job because of his speed and his athleticism. And then you add the polishness of a good coach, all of a sudden, a developmental guy will take your job."

A huge part of a rookie's success is where they end up, and not many teams have a better track record than Baltimore. Not every rookie pans out, but the Ravens always find a way to extract a lot of potential out of their younger players. If the Ravens can hit on a receiver for the second year in a row like the team did with Zay Flowers last year, they could spark a 1-2 punch that rivals some of the best in the league.

Walker likely won't have immediate dividends, but he will keep the competition flowing this offseason and sharpen the iron that is currently in the receiver room.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.