Cleveland Browns: Comprehensive 2018 NFL Draft review
By Peter Smith
Damion Ratley, WR – Texas A&M
With the first of their two picks of the sixth round, the Browns used the 175th pick of the draft to take Damion Ratley, the speedy receiver out of Texas A&M.
Athletic Profile
Age: 23 years old (Born Apr. 16, 1995)
Height: 6-1.75
Weight: 196 lbs
40 Yard Dash: 4.39s (Pro Day)
Broad Jump: 10’4″
Vertical: 38″
3-Cone: 6.92s
Shuttle: 4.23s
Bench: 12 reps
Ratley is fast. He’s also got pretty good explosion and flexibility for his size and weight. Ratley possesses a unique build in that he’s really lean looking but he’s heavier than people might expect. In a lot of ways he looks like a taller version of Denzel Ward.
Production
Career Starts: 13
Receptions: 30
Receiving Yards: 694 (21.2 percent)
Touchdowns: 6
There just isn’t much production for Ratley. His best season was this past one where he caught 30 passes, but did get substantial yards per reception. The problem for Ratley is that Christian Kirk was their main target in the offense, leaving Ratley as largely a bit player, even if he was the second leading receiver in terms of yardage. His career projection is likely a backup type, hoping he maybe becomes a starter.
Game Tape
Ratley’s not a nuanced route runner. He basically just gets to a spot and turns around for example, counting on his speed to create separation. It’s pretty basic. He often just outruns the guy covering him or tries to run them off, but even his set up for screens is pretty lackadaisical. That is, until he gets the ball in his hands.
Ratley’s pretty fearless with the ball in his hands, willing to be aggressive, take runs, even cutback some runs in the open field maybe he shouldn’t because he’s simply faster than his opponent and can get away with it. And he’s shown he is a threat to score in these opportunities.
When it comes to deep balls, while Ratley doesn’t do much to create separation from a technical standpoint, he does track the ball well and can catch it while going full speed, able to then finish the play in the end zone.
From his JUCO tape, he was even used as a jump ball receiver in the end zone. He does do a good job of attacking and fighting for the football with pretty decent hands. Nothing about Ratley is particularly fancy or nuanced. He’s just really fast and can catch the ball.
Fit, Usage and Projection with the Browns
What may have intrigued the Browns with Ratley may actually go back to his Junior College days as a member of the Blinn Buccaneers. For them, he did a little bit of everything. Hitches and screens and then deep routes like wheels, goes and posts where he could simply outrun defensive backs. In either situation, he was using his speed to win as opposed to route running and technique.
Todd Haley in particular loves to run wide receiver screens. Ratley is someone who is unafraid with the ball in his hands and will be aggressive after the catch. He’s shown this in the screen game, which stands out to what Haley likes. Combine that with his ability to run deep and stretch the defense and they may see someone who can stress a defense as a fourth or fifth receiver on the perimeter.
In some ways, it seems as though the Browns are betting against Texas A&M’s quarterback play and offense, that the reason Ratley didn’t get the ball more was directly a result of that and a lot of production was left on the field.
There’s no guarantee Ratley makes the final 53 man roster and it actually seems like it could be difficult, more likely ending up on the practice squad. If he’s going to make the team, it’s showing that he can make those plays on screens and occasionally on a deeper ball. Then, they can hopefully add some more route running ability to his game and some special teams coverage capabilities.