How’s that old saying go? Something like … when the highly-paid, underperforming veterans are away, the rookies will play? Something like that, right?
With veteran wide receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman watching from the sideline to start mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, a pair of Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receivers took full advantage as 3rd-round pick Ja’Kobi Lane and 4th-round pick Elijah Sarratt each had their own moments to shine.
The highlight of the practice, by all accounts, was a pass from Lamar Jackson to Sarratt, who is fresh off an undefeated season and national championship at Indiana in 2025.
From BaltimoreRavens.com: “With Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman absent from Tuesday’s practice, both rookie wide receivers took advantage. Although he didn’t have any major highlights, Lane caught a few short and intermediate passes across the seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 periods. Sarratt, meanwhile, had the best catch of the day, corralling a deep shot from Lamar Jackson down the right sideline through heavy coverage from cornerback Marquise Robinson.”
What Ja’Kobi Lane Brings to the Ravens
With Lane, the Ravens may have gotten a 1st-round talent in the 3rd round after USC teammate and 2026 1st-round pick Makai Lemon essentially took over his corner in 2025 on the way to winning the Biletnikoff Award.
There were wildly different projections on Lane’s NFL prospects after the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Arizona native had one of the wildest stat lines you’ll see in 2024 with 43 receptions for 525 yards … and 12 touchdowns. In 2025, Lane had 49 receptions for 745 yards and 4 touchdowns.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid had Lane ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver prospect in the 2026 draft class in July 2025, while fellow draft expert Matt Miller didn’t even have him in his top 5 prospects.
“I have the 6-4, 195-pound redshirt sophomore ranked higher than everyone and will continue to reside on that island,” Reid wrote. “But he is a polarizing prospect who has many scouts needing to see more. Despite 12 touchdowns last season, Lane had only 528 receiving yards and was held below 50 yards in eight of USC’s 13 games. There isn’t a true WR1 in this class yet, so, with a bit more consistency, Lane has the opportunity to rise and be the first receiver off the board.”
What Elijah Sarratt Brings to the Ravens
Sarratt gained 1 of the great college football nicknames of all time in 2025 with the Hoosiers — “Waffle House” because he’s seemingly always open.
Sarratt topped the list of “Immediate Impact” Day 3 picks from Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport following the draft.
“The Ravens have an unquestioned top-two at wide receiver in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, and the team also selected Ja’Kobi Lane in Round 3,” Davenport wrote. “But Sarratt is a polished route-runner and physical presence who appears a better fit in the slot than Lane. He also showed 15 times last year that he can be a problem in the red zone. It won’t be especially surprising if Sarratt opens the season as Baltimore’s No. 3 receiver. If he leads the Ravens in touchdown catches as a rookie, it would be surprising—but don’t rule it out.”
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