OWINGS MILLS – Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver David Reed put on a show during a rookie minicamp last week.

He sprinted past cornerbacks with ease, creating separation to get open and caught passes in stride.

The competition wasn’t exactly sterling, but Reed made an impression nonetheless.

“I thought he caught everything today that I noticed,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He made some radius catches, you know, low catches, high catches, behind-the-back-type stuff. The thing that David’s got to do, like any of these young guys, is learn the mental part of it, learn where he’s supposed to be, how he’s supposed to line up, the tempo of the motions, how far he goes in a motion on different routes.

“I mean, there’s a lot to it, so that he can actually think less and play faster. And that’s the process all these guys go through, so that’s kind of what we’re working through now, and I think he’s a good example. He made tremendous progress with that.”

Drafted in the fifth round out of Utah, Reed caught 106 passes for 1,615 yards and 11 touchdowns in two seasons.

He set school records for receptions and receiving yards with 81 catches for 1,188 yards as a senior last year.

As a junior, he doubled as a dangerous kick returner with 25 returns for a 25.4 average.

“He’s a crafty route runner,” Ravens director of college scouting Joe Hortiz said following the NFL draft. “I’m being honest, he was one my favorite guys in the draft. He’s got really good hands, really good body control and excellent toughness.

“He’s 6-foot, 190 pounds and you’ll see him go over the middle of the field like he’s 6-2, 220. He’ll get knocked back, but he jumps right back up and the next play he’s catching the ball over the middle of the field. He’s just a really tough, aggressive wide receiver with some playmaking ability.”

Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital.