One Offensive Rookie Of The Year Candidate From Each Division
By Dave Adams
![PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Ohio State Buckeyes carries the ball after a reception against the Utah Utes during the first half in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Ohio State Buckeyes carries the ball after a reception against the Utah Utes during the first half in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/89b086ecb7ce2a3fa1355d1fef1dbfc64e959672027c5c4c37d3e3689fae644e.jpg)
AFC North Offensive Rookie of the Year Contender
Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens, Round 1, Pick 22
One of the more interesting storylines of the 2023 season will be the Ravens’ offensive evolution after the team brought in Todd Monken with his Air Raid background to replace Greg Roman’s run-oriented scheme. Regardless of Monken’s playbook, the Ravens need to add weapons to give Lamar Jackson a chance to thrive in a more complex passing attack.
The team checked that box with the hyper-explosive Zay Flowers. He’s smaller at 5-foot-9 and 189 pounds, but he can flat-out blow the top off defenses with his speed, while combining savvy route running with his speed to create match-up challenges for defensive backs. Flowers drew comparisons at the draft to Steve Smith and could be fun to watch if things come together in the new-look Raven offense.