First-round pick Jackson signs rookie deal; Hurst unsigned
The Ravens announced Tuesday that first-round draft pick and former Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson has signed his rookie contract. The No. 32 overall pick received a four-year deal with a fifth-year option.
Terms were not disclosed. The quarterback’s draft slot was projected to receive a $9.5 million deal with a $5 million signing bonus, according to spotrac.com, which monitors sports contracts.
The Ravens’ other first-round pick at No. 25 overall, Hayden Hurst, a tight end from South Carolina, is the team’s only unsigned rookie.
On the first day of the draft, the Ravens traded with the Philadelphia Eagles to get back into the first round to draft Jackson. The Ravens traded their second-round pick (52nd overall), a fourth-rounder (125th overall) and a 2019 second-rounder to the Eagles for the 32nd overall pick and a 2018 fourth-rounder (132nd overall).
In three seasons at Louisville, Jackson threw for 9,043 yards, 69 touchdown passes and 27 interceptions in 38 games. The fleet-footed quarterback rushed for 4,132 yards and 50 touchdowns.
In his Heisman-winning sophomore season in 2016, Jackson accounted for 51 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards of total offense. He’s the only player to rush for at least1,500 yards and pass for at least 3,500 in a season in Football Bowl Subdivision history and he did that in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
After an early rookie minicamp practice, Ravens coach John Harbaugh came away impressed with Jackson.
“Until you put your eyes on a guy on your practice field, it’s all just your imagination up until to that point,” Harbaugh said after the practice in early May. “The thing that I was really impressed with, I thought he was accurate. You read the reports and stuff like that, but he’s a naturally talented thrower. He’s got natural arm talent. I think that’s something that people were questioning. To see him out there throwing the ball naturally and very accurately, I thought was a big plus.”
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