Breaking Down Tylan Wallace’s Role with the Baltimore Ravens
By John Scimeca
The Baltimore Ravens selected Oklahoma St. star wide receiver Tylan Wallace with the No. 131 overall pick in the fourth of the 2021 NFL Draft. What should we expect from Wallace this upcoming fall under Ravens head coach John Harbaugh?
Wallace starred at OSU by displaying the uncanny ability to make contested catches and was one of the nation’s best outside threats. His big plays led to an impressive 3,434 receiving yards (fourth-most in school history) during his Cowboy career in which he was named an All-American and all-Big 12 performer.
Look for OSU’s Tylan Wallace to provide a key outside threat who can break open a big play with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021.
Heading into the 2021 NFL Draft, it was apparent that the Baltimore Ravens would look for wide receiver help — although to be clear, I thought that the Fort Worth native would go to Baltimore in the third round instead of the fourth. In all, NFL teams drafted 17 wide receivers ahead of Wallace. Many were surprised to see Wallace last that long, but the Ravens aren’t complaining.
The Ravens, with clearly a ground-based offense, finished last as a team in the league in 2020 in terms of total passing yards (2,757). The team may be shifting its attack, however, now that running back Mark Ingram has joined the Houston Texans this offseason. Former Ohio State product J.K. Dobbins had a breakout rookie season in 2020, rushing for 805 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 6.0 yards per carry. And of course, Wallace will join fellow OSU alum Justice Hill among Ravens skill players.
Baltimore’s star quarterback, Lamar Jackson, has several new playmakers to bolster the run-based offense. The 2019 NFL MVP has a unique ability to scramble, reset in the pocket, and to make something out a broken play. By adding Wallace and Minnesota Gophers product Rashod Bateman, the Ravens will look to diversify its offensive attack in 2021. The team didn’t have anyone among the NFL’s top 40 wideouts following 2020.
Although the Ravens have made the NFL Playoffs three years in a row, including after a 14-2 regular-season mark in 2019, postseason success has eluded the franchise recently. Following an 11-5 finish in 2020, Jackson and the Baltimore offense struggled mightily against the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round after defeating the Tennessee Titans in the Wild-Card round.
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In the 17-3 loss to the Bills, Jackson only completed 14 of 34 passes for no touchdowns and one interception. With new outside receiving threats, Jackson and the Ravens will be in a better position to combat some of the NFL’s stingiest defenses in next season’s postseason.