Of the 10 rookies on the Ravens’ roster this year, only two — cornerback Nate Wiggins and right tackle Roger Rosengarten — are seeing regular playing time.

The Ravens are the rare franchise that has both a highly paid QB signed to a long-term deal and a deep enough roster not to rely on young players immediately. That doesn’t mean their first-year players, nine of whom were drafted while the other was a free agent, aren’t an essential part of the future.

“I think the rookie class is doing a good job, developing very well,” coach John Harbaugh said. “You have to go guy by guy, because every scenario is a little different. Some guys have had some injuries they’ve had to deal with and stuff like that. I think they have all met their circumstances where they’re at in the best possible way, individually. [I’m] not disappointed with anybody. I think they’re all doing well, and I think they’re all going to be good players.”

To assess how the Ravens’ group of young players is developing (a process happening away from the public eye), we sought an evaluation from those closest to the process: teammates and the players themselves.

First, we’ll cover five offensive players.

Round 2, RT Roger Rosengarten

Rosengarten has appeared in 10 games, starting seven. He is grading out slightly better in pass blocking (59.2) than run blocking (55.5) by Pro Football Focus standards, and his overall offensive grade is 58.5.

OL Patrick Mekari

• On where he’s grown the most: “Probably understanding the speed of the game, understanding the objective of what we’re trying to do, he’s done a good job at. And just overall, like technique, understanding it, getting better at it.”
• On the transition for a rookie offensive lineman: “I think in college you go against, at most, half elite edge rushers in the season. If you have like 12 or 13 games, you’ll maybe face like six, maybe seven, really good guys, two NFL guys. But then, in the league, it’s just every week you’re facing against someone else really good. So I think that’s a challenge, and he’s doing great.”

LT Ronnie Stanley

• On how he’s grown: “I feel like he’s just doing such a good job and consistently getting better at everything he needs to get better at. So just him being a good rookie, pretty much, being able to step in there and play with the vets, and not have to be like, ‘Oh, I’m a rookie.’ But we still, we still hold him to a high standard, and he upholds it.”
• On his main characteristics: “I would say one of Roger’s best qualities is just his ability to have fun with it. Especially as a young player, it’s hard to always try to have fun, especially at this level. I feel like he does a good job of still having fun with it and not letting all the pressure bog him down, handling the pressure.”

C Tyler Linderbaum

• On his growth: “He does a good job of just understanding the game, kind of overall picture of what we’re trying to get done that you don’t really see that much from younger guys. He’s being a pro at such a young age and such inexperience.”
• On his characteristics: “He’s gritty, knowledgeable, hardworking. That’s half of the position is just not trying to let the other guy beat you. So, I mean, obviously you want your technique to be good. You want everything else to be good. But at the end of the day, you just need to try to outwork, outhustle your opponent. He does that.”

Self-evaluation

• Main area of growth: “I think just game sense and just game awareness, because college ball compared to the NFL is a different game. So I’d say probably that’s probably my biggest stride. And then just technique. I always can get better, but I still feel like I’m making strides.”
• Toughest lesson he’s learned: “Ooh, my first play. My first play ever as a Raven was a sack to [Kansas City Chiefs star] Chris Jones. So I’d say that’s probably been the toughest part. But good news is it’s only gone up since there.”
• Best advice he’s gotten: “Just Pat and Ronnie just telling me I belong here. I’m here for a reason. Keep playing with good confidence and playing good ball. It’s so simple, but it’s true.”
• Main focus moving forward: “Just clean up technique. ‘My guy doesn’t touch a quarterback’ mentality. Clean run fits and run blocks. So just the basic things.”

Round 4, WR Devontez Walker

Walker has appeared in the last four games, primarily on special teams.

WR Rashod Bateman

• On how he’s improving: “I would definitely say all areas, from confidence to on the field to, you know, communicating. I would say all areas. I was just talking about it today with Coach, and I walked up to him and said something. It’s crazy you’re asking me. It’s cool to see him making the plays that he’s making now compared to what he was doing earlier. I’d definitely say he’s finding his groove right now and getting comfortable with the offense.”
• On his strengths: “Tez is fast and explosive, but you know, learning leverage, situations and a lot of things like that that a lot of us are not taught in college. I think the game’s slowing down for him.”
• On his advice to him: “Just always believe in yourself and always think highly of yourself. This is a league where you get doubted and you get criticized based on things that you technically can’t control or that people don’t see.”
• On what to expect from him when he gets his chance: “I think they’re going to see a playmaker. They’re gonna see a guy that can really run and make big plays for the team.”

WR Tylan Wallace

• On his growth: “Just over, playing fast. I mean, he was already a fast guy, but him coming in and just playing with a lot of speed. I think for me, personally, as a rookie, that was tough for me, trying to catch up to the speed of the NFL. But I think he’s doing a really good job of that.”
• On what he can bring to the offense: “Like in college, like he’s a speed guy, he’s a deep-ball guy, and I think he’s made a few plays in practice, and he’s showcased that. So I think that’s a real threat that Tez can be in this offense, just getting him going. And I think he’s definitely a deep threat.”
• On getting started with special teams: “Special teams can take you a long way. So translating that, I mean, you do a lot of running on special teams, too, so that gets you right. Just being on the field and being available. Special teams helps you travel for guys who aren’t super involved in the offense. So anytime you get on the field on special teams, that’s always a good thing.”

CB Arthur Maulet

• On what he’s seen from him on special teams: “He started gunning for us for the past two weeks. Like he’s been doing really good, right? And I think he could be really elite at it. We just have to polish up some small things. But he shows want-to. He shows physicality. He shows that he wants to be out there, and, like he said, he’s having fun out there. You know, some guys, like he’s a high draft pick, right? He’s like, Oh, I want to be on offense. But he shows selflessness by going play gunner, and he’s buying into it, and he’s doing really well.”

Self-evaluation

• Main area of growth: “I feel like I’ve grown the most definitely, like technique stuff. Like, in and out of routes and breaks. Like, watching Zay [Flowers] and Bate, how they approach everything when they’re out there. Like, I feel like I picked a lot of things from them and stuff like that. That’s where I feel like I’ve grown the most.”
• Toughest lesson: “Probably putting things behind me. You got, like, one bad rep or a couple bad reps, I’ve seen coaches don’t really care about that. They’re going to see how you’re gonna respond on the next rep.”
• Best advice: “Just be a pro. Approach everything like it’s your last, like you’re not gonna be doing this for long. So that’s what I’ve got from them. Taking care of your body, eating right. And it all translates on Sundays and whenever you play.”
• Main focus: “Probably the route running. I feel like speed, that itself is what I do real well. That’s how I’m gonna beat a lot of defenders. If I get the route running down, this is probably gonna be a scary sight.”

Round 5, RB Rasheen Ali

Ali appeared in only one game and played nine snaps on special teams. He has dealt with a stinger, suffered in training camp, and an ankle injury, suffered in mid-October.

RB Justice Hill

• On how he’s done despite injuries: “I’ve just seen how he’s approaching just the injury and everything. And so he’s a strong, spirited guy. And so in that respect, if you can do that well, I mean, you’ll be able to do everything else well.”
• On what he can work on while injured: “I mean, everything. Just picking up the playbook, knowing his assignments, just recall. And he’s been doing a good job with that. So whenever he gets the opportunity, he’s going to do well.”
• On what to expect once he gets his chance: “You’ll see the player that he was in college, an explosive player, making a lot of plays. And so, whenever he gets to himself, he’s gonna be able to do that here for us.”

Self-evaluation

• On his growth through injuries: “Honestly, I would just say understanding the mental aspect. And just sometimes it’s just knowing that I’m not gonna be out there, dealing with the adversity that I’ve been dealing with, just locking in onto the game plan, just learning the best way I can, although I’m not out there, just trying to learn as much as I can.”
• On his focus while injured: “It’s hard not being out there. So that’s really been kind of like a little frustrating. But I just been keeping my main focus on God and just football, honestly. I would just say, just staying grounded, really, and just understanding my situation. I’ve been in this situation before, and I understand that everything bad doesn’t last forever.
• Toughest lesson: “Oh, it was a time where I was in a goal line. There was a huge hole. I thought I was in there. Soon as I got there, it was closed. I ran into straight arms. I’m like, Yeah, this is real.”
• His main focus: “My main focus? Get back as healthy as I can. Take advantage of my opportunities and just be able to — because I feel like all the setbacks I’ve had, I really haven’t been able to adjust yet.”

Round 6, QB Devin Leary

Leary has yet to dress for a game, but the Ravens said when they drafted him they expected him to take a year to develop.

QB Josh Johnson

• On how he’s grown: “He’s always asked the right questions, like great football, mind. You just see it on the field like, just the process of slowing down. As players, we all go through that. You know how to slow the game down in our mind. You see it every day, and you see him working on a lot of little things with his mechanics and playing fast.”
• On his strengths: “He’s a sponge, for sure. He’s intelligent, he’s talented, got a great arm, and he’s always working, like he’s always working to get better. And I think those are great qualities to have a great career in this league.”
• On what he’s seen him focus on: “I think he’s in a position where, every day he can focus on something new. And, just when I pay attention, I see him just working on different little things, nuances of the game I think that he’s seeing from when L [Lamar Jackson] is playing, or things showing up in practice that he can just work on.”
• Advice to him: “Just keep soaking it all up. Keep preparing like you’re gonna play, and stay focused. It’s a blessing to be in this league, and you can lose sight of that when you want to play and things aren’t lined up in your favor.”

Self-evaluation

• Main area of growth: “I would definitely say, just like adapting to the speed of the game. Everyone always says at each level the transition is a little bit different. And you know, I think for us coming in rookie minicamp, right into OTAs [organized team activities] and everything, things could be flying and trying to learn different systems. But now that we’re all kind of settled in, I would definitely say, like, we’re adjusting and adapting to the speed.”
• Toughest lesson: “The toughest lesson, going back to that, would be like, how much you need to value every possession, every opportunity that you have, whether it’s, you know, two-minute situation or end of half, end of game, red zone, different scenarios to where in the NFL, like every time you have that possession, or every time you have that opportunity, you need to take advantage of it, or else it could cost you.”
• On Johnson’s statement that he’s been adding little things to his routine: “I mean, if I could learn anything from watching those two guys, it’s just coming in every day with the right mentality of coming to work, watching film of arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. And you know, Josh, at the same time, has played in this league for a long time, so I just want to learn as much as I can from both of them, and even from Coach Tee [Martin], too.”
• Best advice from Jackson: “Lamar, I would definitely say, like early on, to just play ball. Just play football. Like I think it was really cool, when I first got here, he said something along the lines of, just because you’re in the NFL now, it doesn’t mean these are a whole bunch of new players that you haven’t seen before. Like you’ve been playing against them your whole life; we’re just all older now. And that kind of, like, hit me in a sense of, yes, there’s a bunch of veterans and guys that I didn’t get a chance to play against or didn’t see in college, but at the same time, we’re just a bunch of grown men playing a kid’s game.”
• Main focus: “I would just say, continue to process within this system, within week to week, studying defenses. And like I said, opportunity. You know, whether that’s in practice or scout team, just taking advantage of all my reps and protecting the football.”

Round 7, OL Nick Samac

Samac has not dressed for a game. He was coming back from a season-ending leg fracture at Michigan State and dealt with an ankle injury during training camp.

OL Mekari

• On his growth behind the scenes: “I think he’s understanding the offense better. As a center, you have to know the offense inside and out, and he’s doing a better job at that. And playing next to the guys. He’s, like, understanding what’s needed to be done next to him, which is cool.”
• On the strengths that are emerging: “He’s smart; he’s pretty physical. You know, I think he’s kind of a smaller guy, but he holds his own pretty well against bigger rushers.”

LT Stanley

• On what he’s seen from him: “Just a hard-nosed player. Nick’s gonna have his time in this league. He’s just a hard-nosed player. Comes to work every day, playing through injuries, went through a whole camp with injuries. Tough guy.”

C Linderbaum

• On his growth: “Nick’s done a great job. There’s a lot on play for the center. And he’s certainly someone that understands what we’re trying to accomplish, understands his role, his job. And he’s a guy that we can put in the game and have the utmost confidence in.”
• On what he’s seeing from him behind the scenes: “I think he does a really good job of preparing like he’s going to play and just trying to understand our game plan each week.”

Self-evaluation

• Main area of growth: “I think, just calming down with the new change of where I’m living now, as well as just the performance overall, with all the players. It’s like, obviously you’re going against better competition. So I think I’m just getting a better grasp on that and just taking it one day at a time.”
• Toughest lesson: “I wouldn’t say I learned it — it’s not like I didn’t expect it, but just, you got to bring you’re A game every day. You can’t get caught lacking, because everyone’s a great player here.”
• Best advice: “Probably from Pat Mekari. I was with him last week, and just being in my position, just still trying to grow as a player and make that leap forward to help contribute to this team even more. And he just gave me a lot of great advice, as far as how to take every day one day at a time, and things I could do to communicate better with the coaches and everything.”
• Main focus: “Just finding the routine right now. Because I think that’s the most important thing. I think sometimes, being a rookie, we’ve been at it all year long with the draft process and everything, and now we’re midway through the season, so just finding a good routine and try not to fall short of that.”