OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens completed their third day of training camp on Friday in scorching heat, with head coach John Harbaugh embracing the challenging conditions as an opportunity for growth.
"The heat's good for us, really good. That's how you get in shape," Harbaugh said. "That's how you train and our guys trained in a great way today. They dominated the heat, had a really good practice, so we're in a good place."
WATCH: Ravens embrace scorching heat on day 3 of training camp as defense shines
Three days into camp, the Ravens' defense continues to stand out, particularly the secondary. Players and coaches say they are "stacking days" defensively.
"To see them on the same page the way they've been, we came out here today in all this heat and they weren't thinking about the heat. They were thinking about executing their places," Harbaugh said.
One of the standouts is rookie Malaki Starks, who is experiencing his first NFL training camp.
"Nothing's easy and nothing's given, you earn everything and just the work ethic that comes with it," Starks said. "Just because I was the first run doesn't mean my spot is guaranteed. I gotta work like everybody else."
The rookie has received praise from teammate Kyle Hamilton, who says Starks is ahead of where he was as a rookie.
"It's a big thing right now just trying to help him be the best player he can be because once it all clicks for him he's gonna be one of the best in the league," Hamilton said.
Starks appreciates the mentorship from Hamilton, adding, "Kyle's on that top level, and I think just to be able to learn from him, I think like when I come off like I always go to him like 'hey, if this happens, what do you think? And then when they get in this set, what are you thinking?'"
On Monday, the players will wear pads for the first time this camp.
"They've been out there doing a lot of football where they can't really play football and even at that we're not gonna be tackling," Harbaugh said. "We may go live with the young guys at the end of practice if we have time and we feel right about it because we want to get them tackling before the first preseason game. The blocks will be more realistic, the carries, the punching the ball and it'll all be more like real football."
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