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The Baltimore Ravens have added a new weapon to an already crowded running back room with the 55th pick in the NFL Draft. They shocked many by taking Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins with their first pick in the second round, in spite of having more pressing needs elsewhere.
Dobbins will join Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill in Baltimore, who are fresh off breaking a 41-year old record for single-season rushing yards. With Ingram the defacto starter, Hill as a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and Edwards signing an ERFA deal this offseason, Dobbins makes it four running backs on a roster that had trouble getting everyone involved at times last season when combined with mobile quarterback Lamar Jackson.
But what Dobbins brings to the table for Baltimore might just be worth the early and somewhat head-scratching selection. Dobbins is an incredibly decorated running back, accumulating 4,459 rushing yards on only 725 carries over three seasons at Ohio State, good enough for 6.2 yards-per-carry.
Dobbins runs a little tight and rigid, but still manages to make defenders miss with good body control. He is also an above-average pass blocker and receiver, which adds to his three-down back ability. More importantly, he’s never missed a game, something the Ravens certainly had to be intrigued with after Ingram went down late last season with a calf injury.
Dobbins is a solid but shocking pick for the Ravens who will contribute right away with minimal issues. His selection in the second round is worth noting considering how rarely Baltimore has picked up running backs in this round.
With the selection of J.K. Dobbins at pick no. 55, it marks the first time in 12 years that the #Ravens have taken a running back in the 2nd round. (Ray Rice, 2008)
— Vasilios Nikolaou (@VasiliosWBAL) April 25, 2020
With a run game that struggled in the playoffs and the Ravens potentially looking to limit Jackson’s carries moving forward, it seems as though Baltimore is planning for the future.
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