With the 2020 NFL Draft going all-digital thanks to social distancing from the coronavirus, things could get a little interesting this year. While picking exactly what any single team will do in the draft is a fool’s errand, the turbulence of this year’s draft make it even harder to predict. To try and narrow down what the Baltimore Ravens might do, we’ve created a dueling mock draft.
Using The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator to pick for the 31 other teams, Kevin and I looked at what prospects were still available when Baltimore was on the clock through the first four rounds. These were the picks we each made for the Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft.
1st round (No. 28)
Matt: LB Patrick Queen, LSU
Inside linebacker might be Baltimore’s most pressing need right now. While the position has gotten less valuable over time with defenses playing more dime, the Ravens are probably one of the few teams that could still use a true three-down linebacker. Queen would be one of the best answers to that hole.
Queen is a smart, fast and rangy linebacker that can drop back into coverage as well as come down in run support and lay the hammer. He’s an immediate starter with legitimate Pro Bowl capability, which is impressive to find this late in the first round. That’s too much to pass up, regardless of what other needs might exist.
Kevin: EDGE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
Epenesa would be a great selection at 28 for the Ravens. Due to a poor performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, it seems he’s fallen a bit from the top-20 pick he was supposed to be, but he still presents great value. Epenesa can play both defensive end and EDGE, where Baltimore can experiment with him in multiple different positions on the defense. He can also be insurance incase one of the Ravens new defensive linemen gets injured. He’s long, powerful, instinctive, and dominates at the point of attack. He truly screams “Raven”.