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The Baltimore Ravens are widely considered to be one of the best-run teams in the NFL. That opinion was formed largely thanks to the work the front office has done in scouting, draft and developing players over their 24 years.
But the NFL Draft is far from a sure thing, with general manager Eric DeCosta admitting there’s a “luck component” involved, according to BaltimoreRavens.com writer Clifton Brown. The Ravens haven’t been immune to some bad luck here and there, having a few highly-rated picks not pan out over the years. But whether due to that luck following the Ravens around from Ozzie Newsome to DeCosta or it stemming more from hard work and the talent in the front office, Baltimore has found some serious gold in the first round over the last decade.
Ravens 1st-round draft picks 2010-2019:
| Year | Pick | Player | Pro Bowl | All Pro | Other awards |
| 2011 | 27 | CB Jimmy Smith | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 32 | S Matt Elam | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 17 | LB C.J. Mosley | 4 | 0 | NFL All-Rookie team |
| 2015 | 26 | WR Breshad Perriman | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 6 | T Ronnie Stanley | 1 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 16 | CB Marlon Humphrey | 1 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 25 | TE Hayden Hurst | 0 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 32 | QB Lamar Jackson | 1 | 1 | MVP |
| 2019 | 25 | WR Marquise Brown | 0 | 0 |
Totaling that up, nine first-round picks have equated to seven Pro Bowl nominations, three All-Pro nominations and an NFL MVP award. Jackson, Humphrey, Stanley and Mosley are all considered to be at or very near the top of their respective positions in the NFL. Smith might not have gotten a ton of awards or recognition but Ravens fans know just how great he’s been over the years despite that.
Really, the only players that could be considered busts from this group would be Hurst, Perriman and Elam. That means Baltimore has had a 66.7% success rate in the first round over the last decade . . . Not too bad for something that involves any luck at all. Most NFL franchises wish they had a resume that good over double the time.
It’s also worth considering Baltimore hasn’t been picking at the top of the round either. Stanley is their highest-taken player at No. 6 in 2016 but a majority (6-of-9) of their selections have come in the final eight picks of the round. All but Stanley have come in the bottom half of the first round. To find that level of success at all areas of the first round is a true testament to the work DeCosta, Newsome and the rest of the Ravens’ front office have put in over the years.
The Ravens enter the 2020 NFL Draft with the No. 28 overall pick in the first round. While they could trade up to grab a player they love or trade even further back, there should be extreme confidence that whatever they do is probably the correct thing. If recent history proves to be any indication, Baltimore might not take the player or even the position everyone expects them to grab but they’re likely going to get yet another star for their roster.
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