After gaining mostly glowing reports for their first-round selection of linebacker Patrick Queen, all eyes were back on the Baltimore Ravens heading into the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Ravens got some good players in Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins and linebacker Malik Harrison, Mississippi State offensive lineman Tyre Phillips and Texas wide receiver Devin Duvernay.
Take a look at what all the outlets are saying about Baltimore’s picks in the second and third rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft and what grades they were given.
“The Ravens already had some depth at running back and certainly could have used the second-round pick they acquired in the Hayden Hurst trade with Atlanta elsewhere, instead of spending it on Dobbins. Mark Ingram is 30 years old, though. Dobbins’ ability to matriculate the ball down the field with powerful, low-center-of-gravity running will fit quite well in Baltimore’s run-heavy system. He can also catch consistently to give Lamar Jackson a nice safety valve.
Madubuike is a quality defensive lineman, giving the team more bulk inside along with Brandon Williams, Daylon Mack, etc. Duvernay is a good slot receiver who can play the Willie Snead role in time, complementing Hollywood Brown and Miles Boykin.
Baltimore found another value pick at linebacker in the athletic Harrison after shoring up that position on Thursday night with first-rounder Patrick Queen. Phillips is a massive human who played tackle at Mississippi State but projects as a powerful guard for the Ravens. He showed nice value inside at the Senior Bowl, and I suspect he’ll eventually be a good starter.”
“Great things keep happening for the Baltimore Ravens. They entered the first night of the draft with needs at both linebacker and edge defender, and even by staying pat perhaps the best linebacker in the class not named Isaiah Simmons fell to them with the 28th selection.
They continued their good run, adding J.K. Dobbins, the running back from Ohio State, at the 55th pick in the draft. Dobbins is a bit of a bruiser between the tackles, who is a solid fit in Baltimore’s run schemes. But he is also a three-down back, with the ability to contribute in the screen game and in pass protection. Then at the top of the third round, they added Justin Madubuike, a defensive tackle from Texas A&M. Madubuike had some games where he was dominant, such as his seven pressure performance against Mississippi this past season. He has a quick first step and some solid moves as a pass rusher. At 92 overall they added Devin Duvernay, a slot receiver out of the University of Texas. In a vacuum, Duvernay is a very nice receiver with the ability to stretch the field vertically and create after the catch, but the fit of him in Baltimore’s offense is a bit of a question mark given some of the options already in place.
Later, as part of a trade they swung with the New England Patriots, the Ravens drafted Malik Harrison, a downhill thumper of a linebacker. The potential pairing of him at the MLB spot and Queen at more of a WLB spot makes a great deal of sense. The Ravens ended the night with the selection of Tyre Phillips, an offensive tackle from Mississippi State. Phillips struggled with leverage and his pad level and might be a position switch to guard, as his film against players like Marlon Davidson and K’Lavon Chaisson was spotty at best.”
J.K. Dobbins: “Love the value here, getting a player who should have gone 15-20 picks earlier. Dobbins is a hard-nosed runner and a perfect replacement for Mark Ingram in time — in fact, that’s the player he reminds me of most. Lamar Jackson has another toy to play with.”
Justin Madubuike: “Another year, another “how did that guy fall to Baltimore?” pick. Actually, that’s three of those in this draft. Madubuike was just outside of the top 50 prospects for his ability to explode off the ball and show pass-rush ability from inside. He’s a highly athletic interior rusher who has a high ceiling, but it’s going to require a little patience. Still, we thought he would be long gone by now.”
Devin Duvernay: “One of these days we’ll pan a Ravens pick, but not yet. Duvernay is Kyler Murray’s cousin, but he’ll now catch passes from the NFL’s best dual-threat QB in Lamar Jackson. And what a strong addition to the WR corps this is, with Duvernay’s slot skills, good hands, and an uncanny knack to get open. He’s almost built like a running back and plays with that kind of intensity. Classic Ravens pick — again.”
Malik Harrison: “I just don’t get how they do it. The Ravens sit back and let the draft come to them. Every year. Without fail. Good players such as Harrison are a value at this point, and he can be the yin to Patrick Queen’s yang. Harrison is the better run defender now, while Queen excels in pass coverage. Still, Harrison is improved in that department and might not be a huge liability at all. He’s a high-school QB with football smarts and tone-setting hitting ability. Another strong pick here. Baltimore is cleaning up.”
Tyre Phillips: “Phillips is a broad-shouldered, lumbering tackle with mass you can’t teach and experience at every OL spot except center. He’s come a long way to make himself into an NFL prospect, but we’re not sure how much upside he truly has. Perhaps Phillips serves as the Ravens’ sixth man on the line, much like he did in 2018 for the Bulldogs. It’s the first Ravens pick this draft that we weren’t excited about, but it’s by no means a bad one either.”
“The Ravens saw the draft board fall into place on Day 1, landing star LSU linebacker Patrick Queen to fill a clear need on the defense. On Day 2, they added to a roster strength (and their offensive identity) with the star Ohio State running back in addition to several of their favorite mid-round targets. As usual, the Ravens did an excellent job in the draft. Stop me if you’ve heard that one before.”
J.K. Dobbins: “The Ravens absolutely love Mark Ingram because he is a highly professional runner. He goes exactly where the play is designed to go, he gets there with just the right tempo and he consistently finishes with enough power and tenacity to muster an extra yard or two. When you have one of the best-designed ground games in football, that’s all you could want from a back. Almost certainly, the Ravens see Dobbins in a similar light as Ingram (who, it should be noted, will turn 32 in December and is in the final year of his contract next year).”
Justin Madubuike: “Baltimore is loaded along the D-line after acquiring ex-Bronco Derek Wolfe and ex-Jaguar Calais Campbell, but they needed more run-stuffing depth to pair with (and push) Justin Ellis.”
Devin Duvernay: “It’s a little surprising the Ravens did not address the wide receiver position earlier considering that their top target, Hollywood Brown, would be fantastic as a dynamic No. 2 option. As it stands, they don’t have a proven big-bodied X-receiver to align opposite Brown. Duvernay will likely be lining up inside of Brown, as a slot weapon who possesses run-after-catch ability. It’s possible the plan is to let Willie Snead walk in free agency next year.”
Malik Harrison: “It’s not out of the question that Baltimore will trot out two rookie linebackers on base downs in Week 1. Harrison plays with more physicality than fellow rookie Patrick Queen (the 28th overall pick) but might not quite be an NFL cover linebacker.”
Tyre Phillips: “Hi Tyre, welcome to the Ravens. Your job is to replace future Hall of Famer Marshal Yanda, who was a crucial component of our dominant rushing attack last season. But this is only assuming you beat out last year’s fourth-round pick, Ben Powers.”
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