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Most mocks of the 2020 NFL Draft had the Baltimore Ravens picking LSU linebacker Patrick Queen in the first round. True to the simulations, Baltimore grabbed Queen with their 28th overall pick, once again seeing a top talent fall right into their laps to patch up their biggest need entering the draft without having to reach.
One of the main reasons Queen was so often mocked to the Ravens was because he was the ideal fit for the first round. Baltimore is one of the few teams that seemingly still respect the position enough to have a three-down player, asking their linebackers to do a myriad of things. Queen’s versatility both in run defense and coverage make him an ideal pickup for the Ravens’ complex and varied defense.
Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield of Touchdown Wire agreed, putting the Queen/Ravens marriage on their list of the best scheme fits of the 2020 NFL Draft. They called Queen “perhaps the best linebacker in the draft,” noting that while Kenneth Murray went before him, Queen is the more “pro-ready” of the pair.
Farrar and Schofield specifically called out Queen’s ability in coverage as the reason he’s such a great fit in Baltimore.
“He has a good understanding of route concepts and has a great internal clock for zone coverage situations. He knows exactly when to peel off a receiver and break on the next threat. Queen gets good depth on his backpedal when tasked with dropping into a deeper zone or into a Tampa 2 intermediate hook zone.”
Those instincts and polish as a coverage linebacker combined with his physical traits has been something the Ravens have needed for a little while. Even when C.J. Mosley was still in town, his lack of speed saw him struggle against some of the better running backs and tight ends in the AFC North alone. Often in the past, running backs in the flat or tight ends running intermediate routes were an easy way for opposing offenses to move the chains. It was usually the bane in otherwise great defenses over the last decade.
While Queen will still have to prove he can be as effective in the NFL as Mosley has, having that type of weapon on defense is a step in the right direction. It will help diminish potential mismatches, which when combined with a newly revamped defensive line and already amazing secondary, could be the ticket to the Ravens getting back to the Super Bowl.
“If you’re playing Travis Kelce, say in an AFC Championship Game, a linebacker that brings that to the table is a big plus.”
Baltimore’s lack of talent at the position should see Queen step into the starting role immediately. But his talent level and scheme fit could see him become a star just as quickly.
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