The Baltimore Ravens have just gotten to their offseason but you better believe general manager Eric DeCosta and the rest of the front office have been eyeing up the 2020 NFL draft for months. With the list of prospects growing each day as players announce their intention to join the draft, the options available grow as well.
Though the NFL scouting combine is next month and the draft is still several months away, that’s not stopping analysts from putting together their mock drafts. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY Sports put together a mock of the first round of the 2020 NFL draft and gave the Ravens a player that makes too much sense.
With the No. 28 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Baltimore selected Alabama pass rusher Terrell Lewis.
“Going the Ozzie Newsome route by picking up an Alabama product with considerable upside would be a fitting way for Eric DeCosta to address a pass rush in need of revitalization.”
In my most recent mock draft, I too had Lewis falling to the Ravens in the first round. The front office’s connection to Alabama still stands strong even though Newsome is no longer the general manager. In addition, it fits arguably the Ravens’ biggest need this offseason.
Baltimore will likely watch outside linebacker Matthew Judon enter the free-agent market this offseason. As one of the top options available, Judon is expected to earn a huge contract, which could push the Ravens to let him leave instead of overpaying for him. Even if Baltimore is able to re-sign him, they desperately need more depth opposite him as Tyus Bowser and Jaylon Ferguson have yet to become consistent options there.
Lewis might still be pretty raw as a three-down outside linebacker but he has all the physical tools necessary to become a really great player. At the very least, the Ravens could simply tell Lewis to go get the football solely as a pass rusher and likely get him on the field quite a lot as a rookie until he develops more as an all-around player.
We’ll undoubtedly see the 2020 NFL draft board change quite a few more times over the coming months as players improve and hurt their stock. But for now, Lewis is a prospect to watch very closely.
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