With the recent signing of Mike Wallace, it may be less likely that the Ravens pursue another WR early in the draft. However, the long-term outlook for the position still has not changed all that much with Wallace only signed for 2 years and Steve Smith retiring after the 2016 season. In my last article I covered Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson, two big and very skilled WRs who are are almost certain first round picks in the 2016 NFL draft. While these two WRs profile as split ends, I wanted to focus this article on two WRs that will do their best work out of the slot: Braxton Miller of Ohio State and Sterling Shepard of Oklahoma. With the increased success and importance of predominantly slot receivers like Jarvis Landry, Randall Cobb, and Julian Edelman across the NFL, would the Ravens use an early round pick on a player that fits this very specific role?

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Both Shepard and Miller generated a lot of buzz during Senior Bowl week and justifiably so, as these shifty WRs repeatedly made opposing DBs look silly trying to cover them in drills and scrimmages. At 6’1”, 209 lbs, Miller is a bit bigger than the prototypical slot receiver, but he has exceptional quickness for his size as evidenced by his 3C and short shuttle times at the combine. Although his 40 time at the combine was more pedestrian at 4.50, he reportedly turned in a 4.35 40 at the Ohio State Pro Day which further demonstrates that Miller has the physical tools to excel as a slot WR.

The question about Miller will not be his speed, however. What teams need to ask is how ready is he to contribute to an NFL offense? Miller has only played WR at the collegiate for one year after transitioning from QB, and while he did demonstrate play-making ability out of the backfield and as a slot receiver as you can see below, his body of work at WR is small.

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The first area in which Miller will have to make strides when he enters the NFL will be his route running and grasp of timing in a passing offense. Many collegiate WRs are exposed to limited route trees and have significant technique issues in their route-running that need improvement. However, Miller’s level of route-running is at an even more embryonic state than most entering the NFL. At Ohio State, Miller relied heavily on his speed and quickness to create separation. While these tools will be very helpful in his development, I am concerned with the footwork and amount of wasted movement in Miller’s routes. It often appears as if he attempts to juke his defender instead of making crisp cuts in his routes.

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These wasted movements and poor footwork throw off the timing of routes and will make it hard for the QB to rely on him being at the right place in his progressions.

Miller will also have to improve on his ability to track the ball in the air. This is more important for WRs that are used more frequently as deep threats, but every receiver needs to be able to track the flight of the ball and have the coordination to properly adjust in order to make a play. Early in the 2015 season, Miller struggled mightily in this facet as can be seen on this fade route. However, as the season progressed and Miller gained more experience as a WR, I did see some improvement which suggests it is something where he can further develop.

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The bottomline for Braxton Miller is that he is a very raw prospect as a WR, and will need to develop quite a bit as a route-runner before he becomes a consistent player at the next level. NFL teams will have to weigh the immense potential of a player with Miller’s undeniable physical tools, but also the risk that comes from a player with so much unknown. I see Miller as a mid-round selection who will likely start off his career as a gadget player requiring manufactured touches. Whether or not he reaches his full potential will likely depend on his situation and his willingness to put in a lot of hard work.

In many ways Sterling Shepard is the polar opposite of Braxton Miller. He has been one of the more productive WRs in college over his career in Oklahoma, racking up 3,482 receiving yards and 26 TDs. He does not have the elite measurable of Miller at 5’10”, 190 pounds, and while his workout at the Combine was impressive posting a 4.49 40, 41”vertical jump and 123” broad jump, it wasn’t enough to create major buzz. Perhaps most importantly, he is a very experienced WR who was able to line up all across the formation for Oklahoma and be a very effective weapon.

Due to his size, Shepard will likely play a majority of his snaps out of the slot in the NFL, and he has the quickness and the route-running prowess to be a very impactful player immediately. In this play, Shepard does a great job of attacking the DB in the stem of his route and using a crisp, sudden cut to come open on the slant route for the TD. This is a play highly reminiscent of what have seen out of players like Julian Edelman in New England.

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While Shepard is on the smaller side for a WR, he is strongly built and capable of breaking tackles to pick up extra yards after the catch. He also has impressive shiftiness and makes a lot of DBs miss as you can see in the clip below.

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Shepard also possesses greater ability as a deep threat than might be expected from a slot receiver. He uses his speed to get behind the defense and tracks the ball well to come down with the ball here. 

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In addition, Shepard demonstrates impressive body control and focus to come down with this pass along the sidelines in tight coverage.

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Taken together, we have a WR that brings a lot to the table in terms of route-running, ability after the catch, and speed to stretch a defense if needed. Even without elite measurable, Shepard is a player that will have an immediate impact on whichever team selects him. I think he likely ends up going in the 2nd round of the draft, and could be a target for the Ravens if they go defense in the first round.

Both Miller and Shepard are intriguing options after the top WR prospects are off the board. Shepard is far more pro-ready, but Miller may possess a higher upside. For the Ravens I think Shepard makes more sense as he can be plugged in as WR3 on day 1 even though he is not a glamorous selection. If Miller is still on the board come day 3, I think he is a player that would be hard to pass on given his potential.

Gabe Ferguson
Gabe Ferguson

Ravens Analyst

Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.

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