The Baltimore Ravens have intricate draft processes, including many different organization members. While the general manager might have the final say in who’s selected, Baltimore relies more than ever on its scouting department and others throughout the team to ensure every option is exhausted.
This draft season, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta had to go through his process without one of his closest companions, former Baltimore director of player personnel Joe Hortiz. DeCosta joked that there’s more leg room now when he does press conferences that Hortiz used to attend, but he conceded that he misses him very much.
“There’s definitely more leg room up here.” (laughter) “I’m probably more comfortable, because [former Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz] was always butting into us. It’s been a change for me, definitely. I miss Joe. I miss his personality. Joe’s a great evaluator. First and foremost, for me, the comfort that I would have with Joe saying, ‘Take a look at these guys and let me know what you think.’ [He has] great instincts [and] great feel as an evaluator. In saying that, we have other guys that excel at that as well. [Head coach] John [Harbaugh] is a great evaluator. [Executive vice president] Ozzie Newsome’s a Hall of Fame evaluator. [Director of player personnel] George Kokinis, [director of college scouting] David Blackburn – our coaches do a great job [as well]. We definitely have guys who can pick up the slack. I was thinking about it today coming in. I think this is my 20th year running the Draft. I think my first year was 2005 – the [former Ravens WR] Mark Clayton Draft. It’s crazy to think that everything that goes into it [for] 20 years. Joe was with me for 19 of those 20 years. Obviously, it’s a big change, but I think one that is exciting. We certainly have people who can step up and really get it done.”
Hortiz was a staple in Baltimore, working his way up the ranks of the Ravens’ organization with DeCosta since 1998 when he was a personnel assistant. The former director of player personnel earned the general manager job of the Los Angeles Chargers, meaning he and DeCosta will be going head-to-head for the first time in the 2024 NFL draft.