Terrace Marshall Jr. has earned a reputation as one of the top wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft, and based on where he’s expected to go in the draft and the skill set he offers, it is not a surprise that there are rumblings that he could be a Raven.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., known as one of the most plugged-in and informed draft analysts in the business, has had Baltimore picking Marshall in his past three mock drafts. Marshall himself is aware of the hype.
“I hear the talk, I see everything on Twitter,” Marshall said on Glenn Clark Radio April 5. “I see all the articles and stuff so I’m pretty much aware where he’s got me landing at this point.”
Marshall being linked with the Ravens should come as a surprise to nobody. For one, the Ravens could still use receiver help even after signing receiver Sammy Watkins to a one-year deal. The Ravens also have third-year receivers Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin and second-year receivers Devin Duvernay and James Proche, but only Brown has established himself. Another reason is that Marshall may be the best selection at the No. 27 spot regardless of team need.
Marshall had a breakout season as a sophomore at LSU; the 6-foot-2, 205-pound receiver posted 671 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019. Perhaps most impressive was that Marshall was able to produce alongside projected top-10 pick Ja’Marr Chase and 2020 NFL Rookie of the Year Justin Jefferson, both of whom were seeing plenty of targets from quarterback Joe Burrow.
The 2019 campaign also showed that he could endure the rigors of a 17-game NFL season.
“My sophomore season we played 15 games and we won 15 of those,” Marshall said of LSU’s championship run. “That’s the closest thing I’ve had, [in terms of the] number of games, to the NFL.”
With Jefferson gone and Chase opting out of the 2020 season, Marshall posted 731 yards and 10 touchdowns in only 10 games, showcasing the 4.38 speed he demonstrated during his recent pro day.
Marshall also shares a special connection with Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen, who was the first LSU player to be selected by the Ravens in the history of the team in 2020. The two grew a bond through their shared time in Baton Rouge, La., and he says the two are always in constant contact.
“We talked about the draft, but it was more on a personal level,” Marshall said. “When all of these LSU guys meet up, we don’t just about football, we talk about each other because we had a relationship off the field.”
Some analysts have speculated that receivers are hesitant to join the Ravens due to the high frequency with which they run the ball, but Marshall said he’d have no problem with landing in Baltimore.
“I would enjoy playing with [Jackson],” Marshall said. “Being on the field, it’s a team effort. It’s all about taking advantage of what you are given. Anywhere I land I’ll be able to do my job and do whatever it takes to help the team.”
Still, it takes a certain kind of receiver to succeed in the Ravens’ system. Marshall believes he can provide a skill set that fits in well with this particular system.
“I pride myself on my versatility a lot,” Marshall said. “Especially with my size — being 6-[foot]-3, 6-[foot]-4, 200-plus [pounds] with my speed, I’m able to play around everywhere. I feel like that’s an advantage. In the receiving room, having a receiver that can move around and maneuver and make plays at each position, that’s big, and I feel like that’s what comes with my game.”
For more from Marshall, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Photo Credit: LSU Creative Services