NFL Debut of Ravens Rookie QB Lamar Jackson
Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game will provide the Baltimore Ravens with the first glimpse into their future at the quarterback position.
In April, the Ravens traded back into the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft and selected quarterback Lamar Jackson with the No. 32 overall pick. 10 years after drafting quarterback Joe Flacco with a first-round selection, the Ravens found a potential successor to their expensive veteran QB.
As a sophomore for Louisville in 2016, Jackson became the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy after he amassed over 50 total touchdowns and over 5,000 total yards through the air and on the ground. Jackson was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy again in 2017, but didn’t receive the award, although many believe his junior season was superior to his sophomore campaign:
| Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Class | G | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | AY/A | TD | Int | Rate |
| *2015 | Louisville | FR | 12 | 135 | 247 | 54.7 | 1840 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 12 | 8 | 126.8 |
| *2016 | Louisville | SO | 13 | 230 | 409 | 56.2 | 3543 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 30 | 9 | 148.8 |
| *2017 | Louisville | JR | 13 | 254 | 430 | 59.1 | 3660 | 8.5 | 8.7 | 27 | 10 | 146.6 |
| Career | Louisville | 619 | 1086 | 57.0 | 9043 | 8.3 | 8.5 | 69 | 27 | 142.9 |
| Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Class | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2015 | Louisville | FR | 12 | 163 | 960 | 5.9 | 11 |
| *2016 | Louisville | SO | 13 | 260 | 1571 | 6.0 | 21 |
| *2017 | Louisville | JR | 13 | 232 | 1601 | 6.9 | 18 |
| Career | Louisville | 655 | 4132 | 6.3 | 50 |
Despite his impressive college numbers, there are questions surrounding whether the 6-foot-2, 216-pound Jackson has the size and passing accuracy necessary to play quarterback at the NFL level. Prior to the draft, multiple teams asked Jackson to work out as a wide receiver, but the Louisville product has remained adamant that his future in the NFL is at the quarterback position.
Luckily for the Jackson, he will have time to learn and progress at quarterback without being immediately thrust into a starting role. The terms of Flacco’s expensive contract precludes Baltimore from releasing their veteran QB in the near future without sustaining a massive amount of dead money. Jackson will have a minimum of one year — and likely two — to learn the intricacies of the position as Flacco’s backup.
While the Ravens’ third quarterback — Robert Griffin III – may start the Hall of Fame Game at QB for the team, Jackson should get extensive work during the game and throughout the NFL Preseason. Thursday will be Jackson’s first true chance to prove he has what it takes to become an NFL quarterback.
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