The Baltimore Ravens hold the No. 30 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. It’s as important as ever that Baltimore hit on their draft picks, with quarterback Lamar Jackson taking up so much cap room; so much thought will have to be put into building a team with a hefty contract on the books.
At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was asked what he values in a draft prospect. He went into detail about some different things, including integrity, passion, and work ethic.
“I think integrity is important to me. Passion for the game is important to me. Work ethic, dependability, growth mindset, grit – all those things – factor in. It’s something that we really kind of focus on. I mean, anyone can watch tape and assess how good a player can catch a football or bend his knees or make a tackle in space or block somebody. But to me, the secret sauce is really knowing the person behind the tape, the personality of the player, [and] how he carries himself day to day. What’s he going to do every day in the offseason? How is he going to carry himself on the field, in the community? All those kinds of things are critically important. And really, I think, those are probably as important – those factors – as how a guy plays the game.”
No matter how good a player is on the field, teams also want to see if they are the right fit for their organization off of it as well. Each team has different standards, but DeCosta had an extensive list of things he likes to see from players he brings into the Ravens’ franchise.