Torrey, Kiper React To Newest WR Perriman
There’s no better way to replace the loss of Torrey Smith than with a receiver that many are calling a “bigger and faster version” of Smith, with the potential to become a No. 1 receiver.
That’s partly why ESPN’s Jamison Hensley called drafting UCF star 
Add on the big-boy size of 6-foot-2, 212 pounds and a fearless ability to go over the middle, and Perriman has the potential to explode in the NFL.
Watching the whole thing unfold from San Francisco, Smith immediately reached out to Perriman with a classy reaction we’ve all come to know from the former Raven and Terp.
@B_Perriman11 congrats bro! You are going to love it there.
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) May 1, 2015 While it’s easy to compare Perriman to Smith because of their speed, Hensley explains why Perriman could be even better.
“The knee-jerk reaction is to label him another Torrey Smith,” the ESPN reporter wrote. “But Perriman is faster than Smith (a 4.44 time in the 40). He's two inches taller and has a much bigger wingspan. But he's also a receiver who isn't afraid to go across the middle and will gain yards after contact.
“It's simple: The Ravens needed someone to strike fear into defenses, and Perriman will cause the Steelers, Bengals and Browns to take a few extra steps back.”
Baltimore native and ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper gave high praise to the newest Raven, saying Perriman has the potential to be a Dez Bryant type of receiver. Kiper’s analysis sounded a lot like Ravens brass. Head Coach John Harbaugh told WBAL radio Thursday night that Perriman was ranked No. 14 or 15 on the Ravens draft board.
Guess where Kiper had him ranked?
“He was No. 14 on my board and you’re getting him at No. 26,” Kiper said. “You’re getting a kid who’s the son of Brett Perriman who I scouted at Miami of Florida in 1988 and was the second-round pick of the Saints. …. He caught the Hail Mary to beat East Carolina, he had seven straight games this season with a touchdown reception that dated from Oct. 18 to Dec. 4.”
Perriman doesn’t come without risk.
The biggest knock on the 21-year-old wideout is he drops too many balls. Pro Football Focus has his drop rate at nearly 14 percent, and Hensley says anything over 8 percent is “typically an issue.”
But this is where Kiper’s scouting report again sounds like the Ravens.
Kiper wonders whether the drops were due to a lack of concentration, rather than bad hands. Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome concluded the issue is indeed a matter of focusing on the ball and he is confident Perriman can improve. Part of the optimism comes from seeing most of the drops occur at the beginning of the year, but started to dissipate as the season moved along.
“He has some issues,” Kiper said. “He has some drops, some routine ground balls, but he makes some miraculous catches. So he shows he can catch the football. He had a real good Pro Day. He didn’t drop anything for the Ravens at the Pro Day, when they brought him in. He has the ball skills. The drops – were they concentration drops? Some were no-excuse drops, I don’t know what was happening, he’s got to eliminate that, but he’s got a ton of talent.”
Draft analysts/critics provide plenty of motivation for @Ravens pick @B_Perriman11 to prove them wrong after questioning his dropped passes.
— Mark Viviano (@MarkWJZ) May 1, 2015 In the CBSSports.com video below, analyst Pete Prisco gives the Ravens a B grade for taking Perriman at No. 26. Prisco called the newest Raven a “boom or bust pick” and said “I think he booms.”
Broncos Traded Up To Get Ray Before Ravens, But Ravens Weren’t Going To Draft Ray
Three picks before the Ravens were on the clock, the Denver Broncos suddenly jumped into the No. 23 spot and selected controversial pass rusher Shane Ray out of Missouri, who was largely seen as a top-15 talent.
The Broncos must have had Ray high on their board because they gave up a lot of currency to get him. To get the No. 23 pick from the Detroit Lions, Denver sent over its No. 28 overall (first round), No. 143 overall (fifth round), a 2016 fifth-round pick and guard/center Manny Ramirez.
Ray finished his career at Missouri with 19 sacks, but he was sliding because of a toe injury and a marijuana citation from police just days before the draft. Many pundits projected Ray falling all the way to the Ravens at No. 26.
Apparently, the Broncos believed the same thing:
The #Broncos hoped Shane Ray would be here, felt they needed to jump the #Ravens to do it. Von Miller’s counterpart here
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 1, 2015 Turns out, they may have made the trade for nothing. Harbaugh revealed to WBAL radio last night the Ravens weren’t going to pick Ray.
John Harbaugh told WBAL Radio that the Ravens weren't going to pick Shane Ray. So that should end that speculation.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiecsun) May 1, 2015 Ravens had high opinion of Shane Ray, but didn't try to move up for him. Too many questions surrounding him, foot, plus drug citation
— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) May 1, 2015 Uh, That Is NOT Perriman
I don’t think Perriman is the person the NFL thinks he is.
After NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Ravens selection, the peeps running the highlight reel at Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University in Chicago flashed video of a man that was not Perriman.
Whoopsies!
Baltimore drafted UCF's Breshad Perriman but the NFL put Miami's Denzel Perryman's pic up.. Oops pic.twitter.com/aY1f2bkwib
— Laken Litman (@LakenLitman) May 1, 2015 It didn’t end there.
The NFL Network quickly cut to Perriman to get his raw reaction after hearing his named called. Only they cut to random dude giving a short golf clap.
That is not Breshad Perriman #NFLDraft https://t.co/137SOFvpjl
— FanSided GIF (@FanSidedGIF) May 1, 2015 Quick Hits
.@TideNFL and #Ravens fans, I’m ready to be part of the Black & Purple! #OurColors #Spon pic.twitter.com/n0S2DnjcU0
— Breshad Perriman (@B_Perriman11) May 1, 2015 He looks good in purple. Check out @B_Perriman11 in Madden. @EAMaddenNFL pic.twitter.com/5Lq31NzAhh
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 1, 2015 @B_Perriman11 welcome to #RavensNation #UCF.... We in the building....
— kamaraiken11 (@KamarAiken88) May 1, 2015 Now let's go get some Ws!! #RavensNation https://t.co/Ovwf8wpdnv
— Justin Tucker (@jtuck9) May 1, 2015 Welcome to #OurColors, @b_perriman11. The Black and Purple is excited to call you a Raven. @TideNFL #Spon pic.twitter.com/uEr2YA8OOb
— Justin Forsett (@JForsett) May 1, 2015 It's gonna be really awkward when someone tells Ozzie that #Perriman doesn't play linebacker or safety.
— Glenn Clark (@GlennClarkRadio) May 1, 2015 Based on last yr, Perriman will receive a contract worth min. of $7.882M, w/ Bonus of $3.992M & Cap # of $1.433M ('15 #'s will b a bit more)
— Brian McFarland (@RavensSalaryCap) May 1, 2015 Who said it was only one way to your dream? shoutout them boys who won't get they named called. #UDFAs.
— Marlon Brown (@MB_uno4) April 30, 2015 @B_Perriman11 Let's Get It !!!!!!!!
— Michael Campanaro (@MikeCamp_3) May 1, 2015 
