It's tough enough to get noticed at an NFL training camp when you're a free agent playing a position of need. When you're a tight end on a team loaded at that position, it's close to impossible to get the coaches to take a long look.

Such is the plight for Kendrick Ballantyne, a 6-4, 243-pound rookie who finished his career at Northeastern after playing his first two years at Maine. Ballantyne is trying to make the Ravens with a pretty good idea that he's not going to knock third-string tight end Quinn Sypniewski out of the mix.

Ballantyne has gotten some reps the past couple of practices at McDaniel College because Sypniewski has been sidelined with a stomach flu. The  leading receiver among tight ends in 1-AA last season, Ballantyne should see some action in Saturday's scrimmage against the Washington Redskins at M&T Bank Stadium.

"On draft day I got a call, and they asked if I wanted to be a Raven, it was a good fit for me,'' said Ballantyne, who turned down similar training camp invitations from a number of teams, including the New England Patriots.

The most difficult part of the adjustment for Ballantyne is, as expected, the speed of the players, even those going at half-speed during the early part of camp, as well as the strength of the opposition.

"I'm just trying to get used to the blocking stuff more than the passing stuff,'' said Ballantyne, who is built more along the lines of backup Daniel Wilcox (6-1, 245) than starter Todd Heap (6-5, 252) or Sypniewski (6-6, 270). "I'm still just trying to get my steps down and my technique down.''

With 4.7 speed in the 40, Ballantyne appears to be a pretty decent athlete and nearly made a difficult catch on a throw from former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith during Wednesday's morning practice.

"If he had dived and made the catch, he might helped his chances,'' one fan said as the ball bounced away.

Ballantyne is a former high school basketball player who played both against former Maryland standout Nik Caner-Medley at a rival high school near Portland, Me. as well as with Caner-Medley on a local AAU team.

"I was good friends with him, we graduated the same year,,'' Ballantyne said.

He hopes to have a little more luck in making the NFL than Caner-Medley had in making the NBA.

Given the number of spots locked up, Ballantyne's only chance will likely come if he turns into a monster on special teams.

What's the most interesting thing that has happened to him since he came to camp?

"Just meeting all the guys, learning what the NFL is all about,'' Ballantyne said. "Just getting an inside look at what it takes to make a team.''

If Ballantyne doesn't make it, he should be in pretty good shape. He graduated with a double major in finance and management. Maybe he should find out if any of his training camp teammates needs a financial advisor.