2014 NFL Mock Draft: Baltimore Ravens select Davante Adams
Fresno State Bulldogs wide receiver Davante Adams (15) catches a touchdown pass against the San Jose State Spartans in the first quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
It’s time to take an early look at the 2014 NFL Draft and the prospects involved in it, and a great way to do that is by checking in on 2014 NFL Mock Drafts and analyzing the selections made by draft experts on the FanSided Network. NFL Mocks’s Sayre Bedinger believes that the Baltimore Ravens will get the No. 2 receiver that Joe Flacco and Torrey Smith need by selecting Fresno State Bulldogs star wideout Davante Adams with the 20th pick in the draft.
It’s an interesting selection since Adams is a sleeper prospect, but it’s one that I don’t have a disagreement with. Adams will most likely declare for the draft with star quarterback Derek Carr set to leave, and Carr will likely be a top ten pick. While Adams has certainly benefited from catching passes from Carr and playing in the Fresno State offense, there is little doubt that Adams has the tools to be an effective wide receiver in the NFL. I’m very impressed by his blend of size and speed, and I am intrigued by Bedinger’s comparison of Davante Adams to a mini-Brandon Marshall.
Adams makes sense for the Ravens in the first if they view him worth of that kind of a selection, and it might be a bit of a reach. But Adams has so much upside that if a team is sold on him, then they should pluck him.
However, I would have selected Florida State’s Kelvin Benjamin with that pick, because I think he’s the better prospect. He’s just an insanely athletic wide receiver and is a ridiculous playmaker. Penn State’s Allen Robinson also deserves some serious consideration, but I just can’t overlook Benjamin’s playmaking ability. That said, Adams isn’t a bad choice due to his reliability, but I also think that Adams is more of a second-round prospect than a first-round prospect. Bedinger does thorough research and does a great job on NFL Mocks, so I’m not going to disagree with this one, even if I prefer a guy like Benjamin.