Baltimore Ravens draft – Page 2

Ravens find value filling needs in Draft Wire’s 4-round mock draft

In Draft Wire’s latest mock draft, the Ravens fill their biggest needs and get solid value in the middle rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft

We’re past the first big wave of NFL free agency for 2020. Big trades have been pulled off, signings have been made and the league has announced the compensatory picks for the 2020 NFL Draft. All that’s left now is what will happen on draft day.

With all the comp picks in place and free agency changing major needs for most teams, Luke Easterling of Draft Wire put together a four-round mock draft. Easterling has the Ravens filling their major needs and getting some solid value along the way.

Here’s who he has the Ravens taking with those seven picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

1st round (No. 28): RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

While I still don’t buy that the Ravens will grab a running back this early, Easterling’s reasoning is pretty sound for grabbing Taylor here. For one, Taylor is a much better player than his late first-round draft status would indicate, making him a solid value. Secondly, it does fill one of Baltimore’s eventual needs with Mark Ingram now over 30 years old and Edwards on a one-year ERFA deal.

With bigger needs for the Ravens at wide receiver, linebacker and pass rusher still remaining, Baltimore might be better going after guys like Yetur Gross-Matos, Justin Jefferson or Patrick Queen, who were all still on the board at No. 28.

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Mel Kiper mock draft 3.0: Ravens solidifying their defense with next star LB

The Baltimore Ravens are finally finding their answer to the departure of C.J. Mosley in Mel Kiper’s third mock of the 2020 NFL Draft.

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With the first week of free agency down and most teams having addressed their top needs with the top free agents, all attention now shifts to the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s there that NFL teams will be able to further fill their immediate needs as well as build for the future.

Though the Baltimore Ravens have been aggressive at the start of free agency, they still have a load of needs they need to fill before Week 1 of the regular season. While they’ll undoubtedly use the second wave of free agency following the draft to find low-cost additions to bolster their roster, it’s the first few rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft where Baltimore can find real stars.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has put together his third mock draft of the season, using the first week of free agency to readdress every first-round pick to see what changed. However, like his last two mock drafts, Kiper has the Ravens selecting LSU linebacker Patrick Queen at No. 28.

“The Ravens didn’t really address the inside linebacker position in free agency, which means I don’t see a reason to change from my first two mock drafts. Queen fills a direct void as a replacement for C.J. Mosley, who Baltimore lost in free agency a year ago.”

As I noted in my list of team needs, there’s a solid case to be made that inside linebacker might actually be Baltimore’s most pressing issue right now. Though things could certainly change before draft day, the Ravens need at least one other legitimate starter if they plan on having L.J. Fort man the weak-side spot. Even with another player added to the mix, Baltimore could use even more depth at inside linebacker on top of that.

In Queen, the Ravens find their unquestioned starter. He’s a fast, agile and hard-hitting linebacker that’s capable of doing anything defensive coordinator Don Martindale would ask of him. With the team revamping their defensive line, Queen can come down and scrape to make tackles in the run game. He can drop back into coverage. Queen can be sent on blitzes to generate quarterback pressure. In all, Queen looks to be the type of true three-down linebacker Baltimore absolutely needs.

Kiper also noted that he had interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz as an option for the Ravens in the first round too.

“I also considered center/guard Cesar Ruiz, who could take over for the retired Marshal Yanda at guard.”

That wouldn’t be a bad investment either, though Baltimore likely feels good about letting Ben Powers have the first crack at the starting job right now. However, if the Ravens love what they’ve seen from Ruiz and believe he could be Yanda’s immediate heir, solidifying their offensive line would be a wise, albeit less exciting, selection.

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Ravens roster needs after the 1st wave of free agency

Most of the top free agents have been signed but the Baltimore Ravens still have loads of needs they need to address this offseason.

Though the Baltimore Ravens were aggressive early in free agency and made a bunch of moves, they didn’t actually fill many of their roster needs thus far.

The Ravens pulled off a trade for Calais Campbell, traded away both Hayden Hurst and Chris Wormley, and signed Michael Brockers. While their defensive line is as stout as any period over the last five years, it’s far from everything Baltimore needed to do. Right now, the Ravens’ roster has plenty of holes that will need to be addressed.

But first is figuring out exactly where they need players and just how important each need is. I’ve gone through Baltimore’s roster to find out all of their remaining needs for this offseason. Whether the answers come through free agency or the 2020 NFL Draft will have to be seen but these are the seven biggest needs, in order, for the Ravens after the first wave of free agency.

Outside linebacker

Current roster: Matthew Judon, Tyus Bowser, Jaylon Ferguson, Aaron Adeoye, Mike Onuoha

While the Ravens had one of the best defenses in the league last season, there is little doubt they would have been better with more help at outside linebacker.

Baltimore used its franchise tag on Judon, which is a huge help to at least get back to how they were last season. But there is no guarantee he’s on this roster come Week 1. Judon could be traded or hold out just as easily as he could be signed to a long-term extension at this point. And even if the Ravens can lock Judon up to a contract extension, they desperately need to help him out and need productive depth behind him.

Bowser and Ferguson are currently on track to compete for the starting spot opposite Judon with no clear favorite right now. Both Bowser and Ferguson saw improvement over the final seven games of the season, getting most of their production there. However, even that uptick shouldn’t be enough to get Baltimore pumped about them in a three-down starting role. Behind them are two developmental prospects that spent time on the practice squad, so I wouldn’t go expecting much there.

In reality, Judon is their only known weapon at outside linebacker with everyone else a giant question mark at best. To get the most out of this defense, the Ravens need to find another player who can make a serious impact immediately. Beyond that, Baltimore could use another rotational player or two to help round out the group and give them some options during the season. Finding another veteran would also make sense for a group that has just eight years of actual NFL experience and 45 starts combined.

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3-round Ravens mock draft: Picking the top-rated option on the board

In my latest mock draft for the Baltimore Ravens, I pick the top-rated option at positions of need in the 2020 NFL Draft

The first big wave of free agency is over in the NFL. Teams have picked over the top options available to them and a bunch of trades have taken place to fill immediate needs. While there will be plenty of more signings to happen between now and the 2020 NFL Draft, it isn’t likely to really affect how most teams are going to pick.

That’s certainly the case for the Baltimore Ravens, who have used free agency and trades to revamp their defensive line but haven’t addressed any of their other needs thus far. That gives us a really good idea of what Baltimore will be targeting once they’re on the clock in the first three rounds.

With that in mind, I went to NFL Mock Draft Database and used their mock draft simulator to see what options might be available for the Ravens come draft day. In this mock draft, I went with the best option remaining on their big board at outside linebacker, inside linebacker and wide receiver regardless of who else was available or where I might have them rated personally. It led to a bunch of really great picks that fit well but also some head-scratching picks too.

Let’s take a look at which prospects I was handed and do some quick analysis on them.

1st round (No. 28): LB Patrick Queen, LSU

One of Baltimore’s biggest remaining needs is at inside linebacker. Though the Ravens are back in talks with Patrick Onwuasor to potentially return, they’ll need to find a long-term option in the middle of their defense. With how little Baltimore uses their base package, finding a rangy inside linebacker who can cover and still stuff the run is pretty important unless the Ravens want to rotate guys in and out to fill the role.

Queen is that guy and getting him at the end of the first round is one of Baltimore’s best scenarios. Queen is a smart player with good instincts and can lead, which is something Onwuasor struggled with last season, leading to his demotion from the starting role. While not the biggest linebacker in the world, the Ravens boosting the beef in the trenches should allow him to use his speed and agility to scrape around and make plays all over the field.

Queen is an immediate starter in Baltimore and could very well be one of the final pieces of a historically good defense.

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Mel Kiper mock draft 2.0: Ravens continue history at LB

The Baltimore Ravens finally find C.J. Mosley’s replacement in the 2020 NFL Draft, Mel Kiper has them selecting LSU Patrick Queen at No. 28

The Baltimore Ravens come into the offseason with not a ton of huge needs. While the needs that exist are big ones, the Ravens are coming off a 14-2 season with a young roster that has a ton of talent, so they aren’t in rebuild mode in the 2020 NFL Draft. The potential exists that Baltimore will see a top player fall right into their laps at one of their major needs. According to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper, that’s exactly what happened.

In Kiper’s second mock draft, he has the Ravens selecting LSU linebacker Patrick Queen in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

“I love the fit with Queen in Baltimore, which lost C.J. Mosley in free agency last offseason and could replace him a year later with a sideline-to-sideline run-and-hit inside linebacker. This is one of the NFL’s best rosters — look no further than the Ravens putting 12 players in the Pro Bowl — so it’s tough to find a position outside of middle linebacker that could see a rookie come in and start on day one. Keep an eye on a possible trade-down situation here with teams trying to trade into Round 1 to get their guy.”

As Kiper said, Queen would be a great fit for the Ravens and one that fits in their history at the position. He’s got the speed to handle this era’s style of play that will see him often running around in coverage while being a big thumper when asked to come down and hit a running back.

Over the last two seasons at LSU, Queen has 125 total tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, four sacks, one fumble recovery, one interception and two passes defended. Kiper has Queen as the second-best inside linebacker in this draft class behind Kenneth Murray, who he had mocked at No. 19 to the Las Vegas Raiders.

While Queen would make a ton of sense for the Ravens at No. 28, they have bigger needs at pass rusher if they can’t re-sign Matthew Judon and potentially inside offensive lineman if Marshal Yanda retires this offseason. Penn State EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos and guard Cesar Ruiz were still available on Kiper’s mock draft, which could be potential options for Baltimore as well.

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6 possible surprise picks for the Ravens in the 1st round of the 2020 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens trust their draft board over direct needs which could see them grab a surprise in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft

With the NFL offseason comes mock drafts and speculation about which prospects every team will take. There will be debate and arguments all the way up to the cards being run up to the podium and announced officially. But with the Baltimore Ravens’ needs well established, we have a pretty good idea of which prospects aren’t on their radar for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Or do we?

In reality, no prospects will be ruled out entirely. While we can hone in on a handful of players the Ravens will likely be coveting in the first round, there are always some that shouldn’t be completely dismissed, even if they’d be surprising picks.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at six surprising but plausible prospects Baltimore could pick at No. 28 in the 2020 NFL Draft.

S Grant Delpit, LSU

The Ravens have a handful of key needs to fill this offseason and safety isn’t one of them. After signing Earl Thomas last offseason and handing Chuck Clark a three-year contract extension this offseason, Baltimore is as set at safety as any team in the league.

But just as I did in a recent mock draft, if Delpit is available at No. 28, the Ravens are going to have to give it some serious thought. Thomas could be cut as early as next offseason and getting younger and cheaper there would benefit the team greatly right as they’re trying to re-sign big-name players like Ronnie Stanley, Lamar Jackson and Marlon Humphrey.

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NFL mock draft: Ravens balance their passing attack with a No. 1 WR

The Ravens balance the inside speed and agility they have at wide receiver with big Clemson WR Tee Higgins in my latest 2020 NFL mock draft

The Baltimore Ravens have already begun taking care of their needs this offseason, signing safety Chuck Clark early to a three-year contract extension. The move solidifies the secondary for at least the next two years and eliminates a potential need from their radar.

As each move happens, it’s going to greatly affect how the rest of the offseason plays out for the Ravens. With the secondary now not a concern for a while, Baltimore could choose to turn their attention elsewhere in the 2020 NFL draft, even if a better defensive back is on the board. In my latest mock draft, I took a stab at playing general manager for Baltimore and grabbing the most exciting player I could.

With the No. 28 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, using The Draft Network’s simulator, I chose Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins.

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While I had a few guys higher up on my draft board — linebacker Kenneth Murray and safety Grant Delpit specifically — I couldn’t pass up pairing Higgins with Marquise Brown and Lamar Jackson.

Where Jackson struggled at times last season was in finding a go-to receiver to move the chains. While tight end Mark Andrews was often that guy earlier in the season, defenses honed in on him by the end of the year and were able to force Jackson to use his legs to try and pick up first downs a little too often. So, heading into this offseason, finding a big-bodied wide receiver with sure hands and solid route running on the outside to balance the Ravens’ speed inside is a priority. And Higgins fits that billing perfectly.

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Higgins has the size to box out smaller defensive backs and the physicality to handle press coverage. When he’s targeted, he attacks the football and makes impressive catches, including those in traffic and outside his frame. Though he’s not a speed demon, Higgins has enough to go deep and the tracking skills to haul in those passes as well, which will force some defensive backs to give him a little cushion.

When paired with the deep-speed capability and agility of Brown and Willie Snead, Higgins should be able to feast in short and intermediate routes as a possession and red-zone receiver. He’s the type of receiver that is often open even when you think he’s well covered and that’s exactly what Jackson and this Ravens offense need to sustain drives when the run isn’t working.

Though this is an incredibly deep wide receiver class, picking up an immediate starter to strengthen Baltimore’s already top-ranked scoring offense makes them even deadlier. With no sure things at pass rusher or on the interior offensive line, I went with the player who would make the biggest impact the fastest. And with Higgins on the roster, the Ravens might actually be unstoppable offensively.

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Todd McShay mock draft 2.0: Ravens get a starter at ILB

The Baltimore Ravens answer one of their bigger defensive holes in the 2020 NFL draft via Todd McShay’s second mock draft of the offseason.

There are a handful of draft analysts that command attention whenever they do a mock draft and ESPN’s Todd McShay is one of them. With Super Bowl LIV wrapping up the 2019 season, McShay turned in his second mock draft of the offseason and changed things up for the Baltimore Ravens a little bit.

After previously picking Penn State pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos in his first mock draft, McShay handed the Ravens Oklahoma inside linebacker Kenneth Murray at No. 28 in the first round.

In his explanation, McShay noted Baltimore’s defense struggled quite a lot at inside linebacker this season and could use a definitive starter in the middle of the defense.

“The focus in 2019 was on Lamar Jackson and a dynamic offense, but the defensive unit quietly did more than hold its own, finishing in the top six in both pass and run defense. A trade for Marcus Peters added a jolt to the secondary, and Matthew Judon just missed double-digit sacks. What was missing? A chase-him-down, bring-him-down linebacker in the middle of the defense. Patrick Onwuasor and Josh Bynes led the front seven with just 64 and 46 tackles, respectively, and they’re both free agents. While Murray doesn’t have ideal coverage skills, he has great speed and tackling ability, manifested in his 102 tackles this past season at Oklahoma.”

McShay is right on the money here with his analysis. Murray is well known for being a big-hitting, run-stuffing linebacker that has great sideline-to-sideline speed and would fit perfectly into what the Ravens typically like at the position. Given the lack of depth there currently, Murray would likely become a Week 1 starter.

Where he falls down a little bit is in his coverage skills. Though Murray has the speed to handle a coverage role, it’s something he’s still a little too raw at right now. But with some development there, Murray looks like he could easily become a Pro Bowl linebacker in Baltimore.

With the physical tools and clear upside, some have Murray going significantly earlier than the Ravens’ No. 28 pick, including Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling, who had him going at No. 19. With many expecting Murray to blow the doors off the NFL Scouting Combine, we could see his draft stock rise well out of Baltimore’s range soon. So if the Ravens find him still on the board at No. 28, they’d probably be really happy with writing his name down on the card.

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Post Super Bowl mock draft: Ravens grab ball-hawking safety

The league turns their attention to the offseason after the Super Bowl and I’ve got the Ravens grabbing impact players in the 2020 NFL draft

The 2019 NFL season is officially over after the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl 54. With the full 2020 NFL draft order figured out and every team staring the offseason in the eyes, it’s the perfect time for another mock draft.

I went with The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator and used their predictive board to create this two-round mock draft for the Baltimore Ravens. It gave me some new options that I think Baltimore would be excited to call at the podium come draft day.

Let’s take a look at the two players I selected in the 2020 NFL draft for the Ravens.

First round (No. 28) – S Grant Delpit, LSU

While I would have loved a pass rusher here, there was no good values this late in the first round. The Ravens never really reach for a prospect that fits a bigger need and have quite famously gone with their draft board, especially in the first round. They’ve taken guys like cornerback Marlon Humphrey even though they’ve seemingly had enough depth there at the time. Picking up Delpit is the same type of move in my book and one that will pay of in short order.

Baltimore might be set at safety currently but Chuck Clark is set to hit free agency next offseason and who knows how many good years Earl Thomas has left in him. Delpit would give the Ravens a ball-hawking safety (eight interceptions over three years) with tons of heart that can also play inside the box against the run (199 combined tackles over three years).

Delpit would get a great education under Thomas and Clark, potentially being ready for a starting role as early as 2021 if Baltimore wants to move on from either player.

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