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          NFL Nation

          First impressions of Ravens rookies at minicamp

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterMay 11, 2015, 09:20 AM ET
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          The Baltimore Ravens held three practices for their rookies over the weekend, and the media was allowed to watch the last one. It's too early to jump to any conclusions after a two-hour, non-contact workout, but here are some observations that stood out:

          • First-round pick Breshad Perriman caught the ball consistently well. The knock on Perriman is he's not a natural pass catcher, but the 6-foot-2 wide receiver only had one bad drop by my count. Perriman caught the ball cleanly and looked more at ease pulling in passes than Torrey Smith early in his rookie season. This will remain one of the most-watched storylines of the offseason and training camp.

          • Second-round pick Maxx Williams, the first tight end selected in this year's draft, always seemed to get open with good short-area burst. There will be plenty of comparisons to Todd Heap, because Williams has a similar big frame. That will give Joe Flacco a big target over the middle and down the seam.

          • Fourth-round pick Tray Walker is a work in progress, which was the label on the cornerback coming out of Texas Southern. He had a rough practice in trying to stay with Perriman in one-on-one drills. Walker has physical tools. His arms are the longest I've ever seen on a cornerback. The challenge for the Ravens is to coach him up on technique.

          • Fourth-round pick Buck Allen passes the eyeball test as far as an NFL running back. He also looked smooth running routes out of the backfield, which was a strength of his coming out of USC. Allen does tend to run upright. He'll need to lower his pad level if he wants to hold up at this level.

          • Fifth-round pick Nick Boyle brings a lot of size to the tight end position. He was one of the rookies who didn't seem overwhelmed. In fact, Boyle showed his fellow first-year players where to line up a couple of times before the snap.

          • The Ravens have a strong history of finding quality undrafted rookies. My early favorites to make the team are: Cal State-Sacramento wide receiver-returner DeAndre Carter and Alabama safety Nick Perry.

          • Bryn Renner, a first-year player who went undrafted last year, was the most impressive quarterback on the field. Renner made some good throws and carried himself like a quarterback. He will compete with Keith Wenning, a sixth-round pick by the Ravens last year, for the No. 3 spot. A three-year starter at North Carolina, Renner spent last summer in the Broncos' camp.