The Baltimore Ravens drafted 11 talented rookies in the 2022 draft, each having plenty of potential. So far through nine weeks of the year, they’ve seen multiple different rookies make an impact in a massive way, contributing to wins while making phenomenal plays.
Head coach John Harbaugh was asked about the rookies prior to the team’s Week 9 matchup with the New Orleans Saints, and he expressed his pleasure with how the young players have been performing. He talked about first-round picks safety Kyle Hamilton and center Tyler Linderbaum, as well as others such as tight end Isaiah Likely.
Coach Harbaugh on big impacts from the rookies: pic.twitter.com/CbVHF1IEPu
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 31, 2022
“Yes, I do. They’re all playing kind of at a high level for where they’re at. They’re just starting out; I know they’re young guys. They’re halfway through their rookie season now. All three of those guys – in their own right – are doing some really good things out there. To see Isaiah [Likely] step up finally … Not that he wasn’t playing well, he was playing well, but now he had some real opportunities to make some plays and made them for us, not the least of which was recovering the onside kick at the end of the game. We don’t take any of that lightly. _(laughter)You got that, see? Someone got that. Thank you. [Tyler Linderbaum], give [Tyler] a lot of credit; he blocked really well in a lot of ways. He’s going up against one of the best nose guards in football, and I think he might have gotten him one time, but [Tyler] settled down and played great, blocked on the second level [and] was excellent. Then, the unsung part to me, all the snaps were right there, all the stuff that Lamar [Jackson] was doing with the ball handling. Those snaps were right there with a really good nose guard lined up over him, so he played exceptionally well. Then, Kyle [Hamilton]’s role continues to expand. You can see him kind of growing into … We’re kind of figuring out where he fits in what we’re doing, and he stepped up and made some excellent plays. That coverage on the goal line where he knocked the ball away, it just can’t be done any better than that. So, we’re happy with all those guys.”
The Ravens will need their rookies to continue contributing, especially during the stretch run. So much of their 2022 draft class has been instrumental, and if the team wants to go far in the playoffs they’ll need that trend to continue.