The final time the Ravens had such a dearth of draft picks, Bill Clinton had simply been impeached and Michael Jordan had simply retired for the second time. The yr was 1999, the Ravens have been coming off a dismal 6-10 season in what was simply their third yr of existence they usually had simply 4 alternatives in that April’s NFL draft.
Things additionally labored out nicely — Baltimore nabbed future All-Pro cornerback Chris McAlister with the tenth general choose, took large receiver Brandon Stokley within the fourth spherical, and two years later beat the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV with McAlister and Stokley as important items of that championship workforce.
This yr, the Ravens have simply 5 picks (Nos. 22, 86, 124, 157, 199) and none within the second spherical. Only the Denver Broncos with 5 and Miami Dolphins with 4 have so few picks this yr, and as soon as once more Baltimore’s focus will likely be on cornerback and large receiver, with these two positions essentially the most obtrusive wants on a workforce that went 10-7 a season in the past and narrowly misplaced within the wild-card spherical to the Cincinnati Bengals.
But these aren’t the Ravens’ solely wants, and common supervisor Eric DeCosta has mentioned that one among Baltimore’s objectives is so as to add picks if it may possibly. That may imply buying and selling again so as to add an additional choose or two.
“I think the chances for us to be able to do it are pretty decent,” DeCosta mentioned. “We have to look at the capital that we can get by trading back, and we’ll make the best decision that we can.”
In phrases of different choices and what the Ravens want most, right here’s a take a look at the positions they’re more likely to fill within the draft, starting April 27 in Kansas City, Missouri:
1. Cornerback
Marlon Humphrey is again, however past the All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl choice (together with final season) there are main holes to fill with Brandon Stephens, Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis the opposite prime choices on the place. While Humphrey ranked because the 14th-best nook within the NFL final season, in line with Pro Football Focus, Stephens rated 107th out of 118. Veteran Marcus Peters additionally stays a free agent — although it’s doable the Ravens may deliver him again, Baltimore might want to add a nook through the draft. Two potentialities: Maryland’s Deonte Banks, who, at the very least bodily, is much like Humphrey, or Michigan’s DJ Turner, ought to he be obtainable late within the first spherical or early within the second if the Ravens slide again and add a second-round choose.
“We have a history of drafting defense in the first round,” DeCosta mentioned. “We love corners; our defense is really built to succeed with a great, strong secondary. Coach [John] Harbaugh loves big, physical, press-type guys. There are a lot of these types of guys in the draft. So, for us to look at that, we think it’s one of the most important positions on your football team, and it’s a position that we’ll always look at very closely.”
2. Wide receiver
With the free agent additions of Odell Beckham Jr. and veteran Nelson Agholor, the Ravens bought some much-needed expertise, depth and expertise. Still, they hardly remedy the issue for an offense through which receivers have been notoriously ineffective the previous few years. Beckham is coming off a yr out of soccer after a second torn ACL. Agholor had hamstring points final season and initiatives as a 3rd or fourth receiver. Incumbent third-year wideout Rashod Bateman is coming off season-ending foot surgical procedure. And Devin Duvernay, whereas speedy and promising, has but to interrupt out in his three seasons in Baltimore. Harbaugh mentioned earlier than the Beckham signing that the Ravens will draft a receiver, and that just about definitely hasn’t modified.
“We see a multitude of guys that could go in the first couple rounds,” DeCosta mentioned of what he termed a deep receiver class. “It’s a great opportunity for us.”
“There is some depth [at wide receiver] into the third, fourth, fifth round if they want to wait that long,” added ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. Some potentialities in these rounds, in line with Kiper: Oklahoma’s Marvin Mims Jr., North Carolina’s Josh Downs, Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman, and Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry.
3. Offensive line
Guard Ben Powers’ departure to Denver leaves a gaping gap on the left facet of the road. Harbaugh mentioned final month on the NFL homeowners conferences in Phoenix that Pat Mekari will likely be “in the mix” to fill it, nevertheless it was clear there will likely be competitors for the beginning job. Ben Cleveland has began simply six video games, together with just one final season, in his first two years, whereas John Simpson, who Harbaugh mentioned he thinks “will surprise some people” is coming off a mediocre yr with the Las Vegas Raiders, the place he began simply two video games earlier than being waived late within the yr after beginning all 17 in 2021. The Ravens additionally misplaced backup heart and guard Trystan Colon to the New York Jets in free company, additional chipping away at their depth on the inside.
Possibilities alongside the within of the offensive line for the Ravens within the center rounds, in line with Kiper, embody N.C. State’s Chandler Zavala, Utah’s Braeden Daniels, Clemson’s Jordan McFadden, Georgia’s Warren McClendon and Penn State’s Juice Scruggs.
4. Defensive line
The Ravens will miss the veteran management and manufacturing of Calais Campbell, whom they launched to clear wage cap house final month earlier than he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. But in some methods they might afford to soak up the loss with starters Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington and Michael Pierce all returning, Travis Jones coming off a stable rookie season and Brent Urban chipping in as nicely. Still, Pierce hasn’t performed a full marketing campaign in years and is coming off season-ending bicep surgical procedure, whereas Madubuike, Washington and Urban are set to hit free company after this season.
Should the Ravens look so as to add to the road through the draft, it could once more probably occur within the center rounds. Among the gamers Kiper sees as choices embody Louisville defensive finish YaYa Diaby, Ole Miss defensive finish Tavius Robinson, Stephen F. Austin defensive finish BJ Thompson and Louisiana linebacker Andre Jones.
5. Quarterback
The Ravens have repeatedly mentioned they need Lamar Jackson as their quarterback in 2023 and in the long run. Beckham’s addition definitely helps the trigger, at the very least within the brief time period. Yet, Jackson and the Ravens haven’t reached a deal, with the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player having nonetheless not signed his $32.4 million nonexclusive franchise tag. No workforce has come ahead with a proposal sheet to pressure the Ravens’ hand to match it in the event that they need to maintain Jackson. Should Jackson get a proposal and the Ravens don’t match it, they might get two first-round picks, together with one this yr if the deal comes earlier than the draft. It’s additionally doable a workforce may wait till after the draft to make him a proposal. The Ravens may additionally commerce the 26-year-old star to load up on picks and take their quarterback of the longer term now.
Five years in the past, Baltimore drafted Jackson on the finish of the primary spherical when it had an incumbent and Super Bowl MVP quarterback in Joe Flacco already on the roster and signed to an extension. But Flacco bought harm in Week 9 of the 2018 season towards the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jackson went 6-1 in his place and that was that. The Ravens traded Flacco to the Broncos in February 2019 for a fourth-round choose.
With Jackson and the Ravens having been unable to succeed in an settlement on a long-term deal over the previous two years, is it doable they’ll draft his substitute? DeCosta definitely didn’t rule out taking a quarterback.
“Who do we think has the best chance to come in and make us the best football team? If that’s a quarterback, if that’s a receiver, a corner, an offensive tackle, we’re going to look at that very strongly and make the best decision we can knowing that over time, we think, [when] building a team, best available player is the right way to go,” he mentioned final month.
Three mid-to-late spherical potentialities, in line with Kiper: Fresno State’s Jake Haener, TCU’s Max Duggan, who like Jackson has proven a dynamic potential to run, and Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, who spent the previous two years enjoying below now Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
NFL draft
Thursday, April 27, to Saturday, April 29
TV: ESPN, NFL Network
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Source: www.bostonherald.com