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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker.
The Baltimore Ravens have created an incredible amount of competition in the wide receivers room this offseason, to the point that only Pro Bowler Zay Flowers is the only 1 we can say, with any real certainty, will be catching passes from Lamar Jackson in 2026.
Beyond Flowers, though, every spot seems like it’s up for grabs — which means there’s a big opportunity for 3rd-year wide receiver Devontez Walker if he can seize it.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec singled Walker out as one of the Ravens who saw their stock go up this offseason, and he seems to be making a real play to be either the WR2 or WR3 option.
“Baltimore hasn’t added a veteran wide receiver this offseason and that has to be viewed in some ways as a show of faith in Walker,” Zrebiec wrote. “The third-year pro, who has four touchdowns among his seven career catches, is practicing with more confidence and assertiveness. He took advantage of the increased opportunities this offseason and looked ready to become a weekly offensive contributor. Now, he’ll have to hold off rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt for the No. 3 wide receiver job.”
Ravens Took Walker in 4th Round of 2024 NFL Draft
The Ravens selected Walker in the 4th round of the 2024 NFL draft (No. 113 overall) out of North Carolina, and he had 1 reception for 1 touchdown as a rookie in 9 games — a 21-yard touchdown reception from 2-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in a Week 15 win over the New York Jets.
After going without a catch in Baltimore’s 2025 season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills, Walker bounced back with 2 receptions for 26 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 41-17 blowout win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.
“3 career receptions = 3 career TDs,” the Ravens wrote on their official X account on September 14. “Devontez Walker’s stat line goes crazy.”
Walker finished the season with 6 receptions for 136 yards and 3 touchdowns, which seems like a gross case of underuse by the former coaching staff. Under new head coach Jesse Minter and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, Walker won’t have that problem if he’s on the field.
Walker also had an astute mentor in 2025 with veteran wide receiver and former Raven DeAndre Hopkins.
“WR DeAndre Hopkins said he’s Devontez Walker’s biggest fan,” The Baltimore Banner’s Giana Han wrote on X in September 2025. “Tez said he and D-Hop have little talks every day, and he doesn’t know if Hopkins knows how much those talks mean to him.”
Walker Warred With NCAA Over Eligibility
Walker’s football career to this point has been defined by a knockdown, drag-out fight with the NCAA over his eligibility at North Carolina in 2023.
In 2020, Walker signed with FCS North Carolina Central but never played a game there after his freshman season was canceled because of the pandemic. He transferred to Kent State and played there for 2 seasons, including an All-MAC selection in 2022 with 58 receptions for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games.
Walker transferred to North Carolina but was declared ineligible as a 2-time transfer. North Carolina took the case to court, Walker was reinstated after 4 games, and he finished the season with 41 receptions for 699 yards and 8 touchdowns in just 8 games. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds at the NFL scouting combine to go with a 40.5-inch vertical leap and 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame