The Baltimore Ravens continue to fill needs on offense through the draft.
University of Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams was selected with the 23rd pick in the second round on Friday night at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago. The Ravens moved up three spots to grab Williams, sending their second-round pick (58th overall) and a fifth-rounder (No. 158) in exchange for the 55th pick from the Arizona Cardinals.
Williams was primarily used as a move tight end at Minnesota. A Mackey Award finalist (which honors the nation's top tight end), Williams set single-season school records for receiving yards and touchdowns for a tight end with 569 yards and eight touchdowns. He led all college tight ends with nine receptions of 25-plus yards.
The move comes one day after the team selected Central Florida wide receiver Breshad Perriman with the 26th overall pick. Perriman is meant to fill the void left by departed free agent Torrey Smith. Williams could be the team's replacement for Dennis Pitta, whose future is in doubt after two serious hip injuries. Williams joins Todd Heap (2001) as the only tight ends taken in the first two rounds in franchise history.
Williams should move to the top of a tight end depth chart that includes Crockett Gillmore, Phillip Supernaw, Konrad Reuland and Allen Reisner.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps the first round of the NFL Draft. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
