Tuesday, April 28th, 2020
Minster's Wolf signs with Baltimore Ravens
By Colin Foster
Photo from Associated Press
Minster graduate Eli Wolf, with ball, signed a free-agent rookie deal with the Baltimore Ravens. File Photo.
Eli Wolf might soon be catching passes and blocking for NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
Over the weekend, the ex-Minster, Tennessee and Georgia pass-catcher struck a free-agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens after going undrafted. He became the second member of his family to join an NFL organization - his brother, Ethan Wolf, is on a futures deal with the Rams.
"The Ravens organization had been in contact with me for a while," Wolf explained. "I had multiple Zoom meetings with their tight ends coaches leading up to the draft process. Towards the end of the draft there, they were contacting me, saying it doesn't look like we're going to have any picks left but we'd love to have you in free agency.
"Baltimore uses their tight ends more than anybody in the country," he added. "That was an original big appeal for me. They sometimes even play with three tight ends out there."
After walking on and earning a scholarship at Tennessee, Wolf logged significant time with the Vols for three years before he headed to Georgia as a graduate transfer. In his lone season with the 'Dawgs, Wolf caught 13 passes for 194 yards and one touchdown.
In his pre-draft combine, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Wolf did 23 repetitions at 225 on the bench press, posted a 4.43-second 40-yard dash time, a 35-inch vertical jump, 10-foot broad jump, 6.72-second L-drill and 4.06-second shuttle drill.
Wolf joins a star-studded Ravens rookie class featuring LSU linebacker Patrick Queen and Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins and linebacker Malik Harrison. The team also signed Oregon tight end Jacob Breeland to a rookie free agent contract. The newcomers are waiting to see what happens from here.
"I know for sure that there's going to be a virtual rookie mini-camp," Wolf said. "I'm not sure what that's entirely going to include, but I know it's going to be one-on-one meetings with coaches to install the offense. They're going to find a way to get us workouts and training and all that sort of stuff. There's no exact day because of the uncertainty."
John Harbaugh's team went 14-2 last year, winning the AFC North and earning the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, before being eliminated by Tennessee in the divisional round. Jackson, a Heisman Trophy winner at Louisville, was named MVP after accounting for 54 touchdowns and more than 4,300 yards of total offense.
Wolf is ready to go to work with his new teammates.
"You're talking about some of the best football players in the country, especially with Lamar, the MVP," he said. "It's going to be unreal. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for the opportunity to learn from those guys and be around them and just watch them work."
