The Baltimore Ravens selected Darren Waller, a wide receiver who closed his Georgia Tech career with a flourish, with the 28th pick (204th overall) Saturday afternoon in the sixth round of the NFL draft.
Waller, from North Cobb High, raised his draft standing with a strong close to his Tech career, catching 10 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns in the final two games of his career, the yardage total accounting for 19 percent of his career total. He built momentum with an attention-getting performance in practices at the East-West Shrine Game and then by running the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds at the draft combine.
Waller becomes the fourth Tech wide receiver to play for coach Paul Johnson to get drafted, following Demaryius Thomas (first round, 2010, Denver), Stephen Hill (second round, 2012, New York Jets) and DeAndre Smelter (fourth round, 2015, San Francisco).
At 6-foot-6 and 238 pounds, it’s possible Waller may be asked to switch positions to tight end.
The skinny: "Late bloomer who is faster than quick and has coveted size-speed combination. Waller isn't just a tall receiver, he has legitimate hands and body control and can impose his size on mismatched cornerbacks. Waller has a low floor, but with a little more competitive fire and technique work, he could become a legitimate touchdown maker in the league." — NFL.com
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