yamon figurs

For most of the 23 years since the Ravens were established in Baltimore, the team has lacked a dominant, game-breaking wideout.

Fans have long yearned for the Ravens to draft a star wide receiver, and the team's inability to do so has been the most glaring exception to its outstanding overall draft record. The Ravens will likely have another chance to change the receiver narrative in 2018, but will they take it?

Projecting wide receivers has become difficult for NFL teams. Nothing has been more problematic for Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome.

As much as the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers pride themselves on stingy defenses, physical play and AFC North titles, they do differ on how to develop wide receivers.

Ten years since last picking a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL draft, the Ravens used the 26th overall selection on Central Florida's Breshad Perriman, considered one of the fastest players in the draft.

The Ravens' inability to draft and develop an elite wide receiver is one of the few blemishes on general manager Ozzie Newsome's resume. But last year's NFL rookie class is changing the perception of drafting a receiver.

Whenever it comes to selecting wide receivers in the NFL draft, the Ravens consistently have dropped the ball.

As we close in on the 2012 NFL draft, we'll take a look at how the Baltimore Ravens have fared in recent drafts. It's too soon to give a fair evaluation from the 2010 and 2011 classes, but three years of NFL service time is enough for us to grade their 2007, 2008 and 2009 classes. In today's blog post, we will break down the 2007 class.