Will Third Season Be the Charm for Miles Boykin?
As noted in yesterday's Late for Work, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown's response when asked if the Ravens need to pursue a No. 1 receiver this offseason was that he was confident in every receiver the team already has.
One of them is Miles Boykin, who, like Brown, is entering his third season. Could Boykin make a big leap in 2021 and become a key contributor as the Ravens look to improve the passing attack?
Ebony Bird's Darin McCann contends that the possibility shouldn't be dismissed despite Boykin's modest statistics his first two seasons (32 catches for 464 yards and seven touchdowns).
"We all have seen his effort in blocking, as well as the videos of his offseason work last season, so we can safely assume (as much as one can from the outside looking in) that he's a hard worker," McCann wrote. "Throw in what we believe will be a 'normal' offseason this year, and there is reason for some optimism."
McCann noted that NFL wide receivers often make significant gains in production in their third season. One such example is Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl receiver Adam Thielen, who had a combined 20 catches for 281 yards and one touchdown in his first two seasons before jumping to 69 catches for 967 yards and five touchdowns the following year.
McCann said the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Boykin has the athleticism and skills to follow a similar path.
Things didn't start to click for Boykin at Notre Dame until his third season, when he had 59 catches for 872 yards and eight touchdowns after combining for 18 catches for 334 yards and three touchdowns his first two seasons.
McCann wrote that the Ravens acquiring a "star receiver" would be nice, but it's not a necessity if players such as Boykin step up.
"What if the Ravens already have a talented guy who can fill that position, and focusing on his development could allow them to fix and strengthen the offensive line (a gigantic priority), while adding pass-rush help and other, maybe less-significant, contributors?" McCann wrote.
"If the Ravens are in love with a receiver in the draft who falls to them, then by all means sweep him up without thinking. The same goes for a free agent they believe can truly change their fortunes. But let's not throw out a talented, hard-working Miles Boykin because he hasn't taken the league by storm in his first two years in the league."
Another young receiver who could be more of a factor this season is Devin Duvernay, a third-round pick last year.
"He obviously flashed at times as a rookie, and a normal offseason should help in a lot of ways," The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec wrote. "The Ravens were generally pleased with what they got from him even though he seemed to hit a wall in the second half of the season, and that probably affected his playing time.
"As the Ravens have acknowledged many times, playing wide receiver for them isn't easy. It's a big-time adjustment for the younger guys. Duvernay will be one of the guys who I'd predict to take a significant step forward next season."
March 05, 2021 at 09:46PM
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Late for Work 3/5: Will Third Season Be the Charm for Miles Boykin? - BaltimoreRavens.com
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