As the Ravens wrapped up mandatory minicamp Thursday, coach John Harbaugh left the team with some parting words.
“Let’s make the most of the next few weeks and be ready to roll,” he recalled telling the team. “The days are long, the years are short, the weeks are even shorter. The days are even going to be shorter as we get close to camp, so the time is coming.”
Some Ravens will enter training camp in late July with more momentum than others. Here are 15 players who stood out in organized team activities and at minicamp, from projected starters to under-the-radar rookies.
Running backs Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell: There’s not a lot that running backs can do to stand out in OTA and minicamp practices besides catch the ball and run fast. Hill and Mitchell, a well-regarded undrafted rookie, did just that. With J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards not participating in team drills, Hill showed his vision and cutback ability a few times on zone runs behind the first-team offensive line. Mitchell, a productive receiver at East Carolina, was comfortable catching passes out of the backfield and didn’t need long to reach top speed. He could push for a spot on the 53-man roster.
Wide receiver Nelson Agholor: None of the Ravens’ offseason additions have made a bigger impact than Agholor. Despite a couple of drops in minicamp, including one that turned into a gift-wrapped interception for cornerback Marlon Humphrey, the former first-round pick was the Ravens’ most consistent wide receiver over the past month. Agholor hasn’t needed long to build a rapport with quarterback Lamar Jackson, who’s often looked for him in the red zone and downfield. He projects as a pretty overqualified WR4 or WR5.
Tight end Isaiah Likely: Likely just gets open. More of an underneath option than a downfield threat in minicamp, the second-year tight end saw a lot of targets, especially with Mark Andrews’ workload limited. Likely’s open-field wiggle should endear him to offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who found creative ways to get Georgia’s shifty playmakers in space over the past three years.
Tight ends Charlie Kolar and Travis Vokolek: Kolar, a fourth-round pick last year, and Vokolek, an undrafted rookie, stood out with their size throughout minicamp. Kolar is 6 feet, 6 inches tall and 250 pounds, with some much-needed bulk added since last season, and was a reliable option over the middle. Vokolek, at 6 feet, 6 inches tall and 260 pounds, is a more plodding target, but he made the most of his opportunities. If they can prove themselves as run blockers, they’ll open doors in training camp — more snaps for Kolar, and a possible roster spot for Vokolek.
Fullback/tight end Ben Mason: The longer Patrick Ricard is sidelined — the perennial Pro Bowl pick is expected to start training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list while recovering from offseason hip surgery — the closer Mason gets to the roster bubble. He showed a surprising receiving ability in minicamp, finishing with more catches some days than he had in entire college seasons. (That isn’t saying much: Mason’s career high at Michigan was two catches in 2020.) With a strong camp, Mason can position himself to make his NFL debut at some point in 2023.
Offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu: Big roles for Ravens rookie guards have been rare in recent years. Bradley Bozeman wasn’t a full-time starter until his second season; Ben Powers waited until Year 3 to open a season atop the depth chart. Aumavae-Laulu could be the exception. He was the first-team left guard throughout minicamp, and Harbaugh said the former Oregon tackle “fit well” at his new spot. The 6-foot-5, 322-pound Aumavae-Laulu is sturdily built, moves well and has impressed teammates with his eagerness to learn. He’ll battle Ben Cleveland and John Simpson for the starting job in training camp.
Defensive linemen Michael Pierce and Travis Jones: At well over 300 pounds, the pair certainly pass the look test. (So do the relatively slimmer Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington, for that matter.) Pierce was a regular at voluntary “football school” workouts and OTA practices, and he said before minicamp started that he’d already passed the Ravens’ difficult conditioning test. Jones, meanwhile, has added even more muscle onto a 6-4 frame straight out of a football laboratory. Center Tyler Linderbaum will have his hands full when the pads come on.
Outside linebackers David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh: For different reasons, the pass rushers fell short of expectations last year. Ojabo, who appeared in just two games as a rookie, has seemingly recaptured the burst and bend that made him a first-round talent before he tore his Achilles tendon last year. Oweh, who struggled to build on a promising rookie year in 2022, entered offseason workouts looking healthier, stronger and more refined technically. Not only did the close friends flash as edge rushers in OTAs and minicamp, but they were also solid in their run fits.
Cornerbacks Rock Ya-Sin and Kyu Blu Kelly: The Ravens have had to lean on help from newcomers at cornerback, where injuries have hurt their depth. Ya-Sin, who signed a one-year, $2.4 million contract last month, and Kelly, a fifth-round pick, were steady throughout minicamp. Kelly had an interception against quarterback Tyler Huntley and nearly got another against Jackson. Ya-Sin was around the ball constantly and brought a swagger that the Ravens will need with Marcus Peters gone. Both gave up completions downfield, but some growing pains in coordinator Mike Macdonald’s defense are to be expected.
Safety Ar’Darius Washington: Over two seasons in Baltimore, Washington has played 32 defensive snaps and appeared in just six games. With Kyle Hamilton’s move to a more traditional safety role, though, there’s a path to more regular playing time in the slot. The 5-foot-8 Washington will always face limitations because of his size — 5-foot-9 wide receiver Andy Isabella beat him for a jump ball touchdown in minicamp — but he had an interception and a handful of other solid plays in coverage.
