Ravens receiver's star continues to rise but the spotlight still avoids him
Ravens receiver's star continues to rise but the spotlight still avoids him
This could get very exciting very quickly. There's much to get excited about with this Baltimore Ravens team. They're home to an underappreciated but legendary head coach in John Harbaugh. Their defense is indeed formidable and led by its coordinator, Zachary Orr. They drafted a few new pieces in Malaki Starks, Mike Green, and a potential third-day steal in Aeneas Peebles.
On offense, they field a two-time league MVP in Lamar Jackson. They paid a small fortune to ensure Derrick Henry is in the fold through the 2028 offseason. They have a decision to make at tight end after the 2025-26 campaign sees its end, but for now, they're loaded with Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Charlie Kolar.
With so many great players to discuss, it's easy to overlook some of the talent on the rise. Look no further than a shifty and steadily improving target in the slot.
Zay Flowers is one of the NFL's most underappreciated rising stars.
Mention the Ravens, and it's easy for thoughts to drift towards Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Ed Reed. In a blue-collar town like Baltimore, no one should be shocked when the faces of the franchise are the guys who struck fear into the opposition for years.
That may be changing, as this is Action Jackson's team. When drafted, he promised that the Ravens would "get a Super Bowl out of him." We believe him. It's only a matter of time.
The defense still produces legends in the making, like Nate Wiggins, Kyle Hamilton, and Roquan Smith. For that reason, someone like Zay Flowers has flown below the radar.
All he's done in his first two professional seasons is stack over 1,900 yards receiving on 151 receptions. He's reached the end zone nine times. He's added 112 rushing yards and a TD on 17 career carries—nine more snags, 156 yards, and a TD during two postseason games.
He earned his first Pro Bowl nod to conclude last season. Pro Football Focus named him the 25th wide receiver on their ranking of the NFL's top 32. He lands in the fifth tier, though. That seems debatable. Trevor Sikkema is the writer of this one. Here's his explanation for Zay landing, where he is on an impressive list.
Flowers turned in his best season in 2024, earning an 83.8 receiving grade and finishing with 1,059 yards. Over the past two years, his 863 yards after the catch rank 10th among all NFL receivers."
There are two ways we can look at this. Sure, the mention is nice, but the fifth tier? That shows that Zay's rise hasn't equated to a deserved spotlight.
Maybe that's the result of playing with other stars crafting Hall of Fame careers. Perhaps it's motivation for Zay to ball out again.
Last season, he notched 1,059 yards receiving, the NFL's 19th-highest total and the 16th-highest total among wide receivers. He was one of only 24 players to reach the 1,000-yard plateau.
He played in a run-heavy offense with a mobile quarterback and the NFL's second-leading rusher. That alone deserves another round of applause. The national spotlight may not be burning as bright as it should be, but one of pro football's best-kept secrets may not be a secret to the general public much longer. 2025 sets the stage for a breakout and some more 'flowers' at season's end.
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