Baltimore Ravens mock draft – Page 2

Trade for No. 1 pick changes things up for the Ravens in TD Wire’s latest mock draft

In a 2020 NFL mock draft, Doug Farrar has the Miami Dolphins trading up for the No. 1 pick, sending shockwaves down to the Baltimore Ravens.

The NFL Draft is one of the most hectic and chaotic events in football. Nearly every year we’ve seen shocking picks, reaches for players well before they should go and prospects that fall for some unknown reason. As is the case every year, we’ll likely see trades happen all the way to the final seconds before picks are made. One such trade that could completely alter the landscape of the 2020 NFL Draft is if a team trades up into the No. 1 spot.

Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire took that into account with his latest mock draft, having the Miami Dolphins trade for the Cincinnati Bengals’ first-overall pick and grabbing LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. It led to a bit of a shakeup down the first round.

The Bengals, after getting the Dolphins’ three first-round picks in the hypothetical trade, took a player many have mocked to the Baltimore Ravens in LSU linebacker Patrick Queen at No. 18. At No. 28, Farrar has the Baltimore Ravens sticking with defense, grabbing Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun.

It’s well-known that no NFL team has blitzed more over the last two seasons than the Ravens — they led the league with a 39.6% blitz rate in 2018, and doubled down with a 54.9% blitz rate in 2019. It worked well enough, but it also spoke to the defense’s need for more edge pressure from versatile players. Last season, Baun played 68 snaps of off-ball linebacker for the Badgers, and 664 snaps as an edge-rusher outside the tackles. He totaled 12.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, and 28 quarterback hurries, adding in just 112 yards allowed on 195 pass defense drops over the last two seasons, per Pro Football Focus. There are few better player/scheme/need fits in this draft, and Baun’s presence might be the difference between a Super Bowl and not for the Ravens if he can do what he did in college.

Baltimore does need to bolster their entire linebacking corps, from inside linebacker to outside linebacker. The Ravens’ only question marks on their defensive starting lineup are who will play inside and who will play opposite outside linebacker Matthew Judon.

Finding a defensive player like Baun, who can do a little of everything, is something Baltimore tends to covet. Defensive coordinator Don Martindale has also seemingly loved versatile players, moving them all over the field and out of normal position in order to create more confusion in opposing offenses.

With a high motor and explosive athleticism, Baun is the type of player the Ravens could easily be drooling over at the end of the first round.

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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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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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Ravens get big-play prospects in 2-round mock draft after start of legal tampering period

With the NFL’s tampering period starting yesterday, the football world went nuts. Players have agreed to deals that will see them on different teams and a bevy of big trades have been pulled off. Among that group has been the Baltimore Ravens, who …

The Ravens have beefed up their defensive line by pulling off a trade for Calais Campbell and agreeing to a deal with Michael Brockers. Tight end Hayden Hurst is now gone but with his departure comes a bunch of changes to Baltimore’s picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

So what better time to take a look forward at the draft and what might have changed with the first day of the legal tampering period finished. Are any new players on the board for the Ravens this time around and have their needs dramatically changed enough to see them go in a different direction? Only one way to find out and that’s to run a simulation.

As usual, I used The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator with the predictive board. To get the most out of Baltimore’s wild first day, I went with a two-round mock, which will give us three players that should make an immediate impact on the Ravens’ roster. Let’s see who I picked.

1st round (No. 28) EDGE Zack Baun, Wisconsin

After packing on the pounds on the defensive line and hopefully fixing their run-defense woes, adding another outside linebacker just makes too much sense. I’m assuming the Ravens are keeping Matthew Judon after franchise tagging him, but finding someone opposite him would be a wise decision even if they’re able to sign him to a long-term extension this offseason. With the addition of Campbell and Brockers, another potent outside pass rusher would really help free up Judon more and could see Baltimore’s defense do a brilliant job at moving and collapsing the pocket on quarterbacks next season.

There were a bunch of options for me to choose from with A.J. Epenesa, Yetur Gross-Matos, Baun and Terrell Lewis all sitting there. If I could, I would have tried to move down to the last pick in the first round to still get one of these guys but also get an extra pick out of it. But in this case, I went with Baun.

While many people find themselves in love with one of these pass rushers and will surely hate my pick accordingly, I like the versatility Baun brings to the table for the Ravens given what they’ve done already. He can be a stand-up outside linebacker or play on the line with his hand in the dirt if needed. He’s smart and is a solid tackler, which will help in early downs while being quick and agile, which will help as a speed rusher on the outside. Baun “plays like a Raven,” which accounts for far more than some people think when it comes to who Baltimore brings on board.

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Ravens mock draft: Triple-dipping at OLB in our latest 4-round mock draft

In our latest four-round mock draft, we have the Baltimore Ravens grabbing three OLB and the best safety in the 2020 NFL Draft

As the Baltimore Ravens’ needs continue to change with every move in the offseason, we’ve been keeping a keen eye on the 2020 NFL Draft. A free-agent signing or a roster cut will alter what the Ravens do come April and the draft. With the latest round of moves that included cutting safety Tony Jefferson, I took another stab at a comprehensive mock draft for Baltimore.

I used the Draft Network’s mock draft simulator with their predictive big board. In this mock draft, I simply followed my own draft board and picked the best player still available, as long as it makes any real sense. That ultimately meant picking prospects that didn’t necessarily fill an immediate need but also not reaching for a prospect that would have either. It’s the mentality we often see the Ravens utilize come draft day, so it’s hopefully a little more accurate than solely going after needs with each pick.

We kick things off with a surprise in the first round.

1st round (No. 28) – S Xavier McKinney, Alabama

I got the best safety in this draft class. While not an immediate need thanks to Baltimore having both Earl Thomas and Chuck Clark under contract, it’s the type of move we’ve seen the Ravens make before when drafting players like cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

McKinney is a great all-around safety. He’s an absolute thumper when coming down to make the tackle but with textbook technique so guys don’t typically get out of his grasp. McKinney also has a decent amount of range and can play a more typical centerfield, free-safety type role.

Most other mock drafts have McKinney going in the top-20 picks pretty easily with some having him as a top-10 option. I think McKinney would start on a good number of teams in the NFL from Week 1 of his rookie season but letting him sit and learn behind Clark and Thomas would be a huge win for both him and the Ravens. It’s a move that could really pay off in 2021, allowing Baltimore to part ways with Thomas and gain $6 million on the salary cap, according to Over The Cap.

It might not be the dominant pass rusher Ravens fans were hoping for here but without either trading up or reaching for a player with a second-round grade, the board just didn’t fall that way.

No. 28 / No. 60 / No. 92 / No. 119 / No. 124

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Ravens pick Mark Ingram’s replacement in Draft Wire’s post-Super Bowl mock draft

Draft Wire’s first post-Super Bowl LIV mock draft hands the Baltimore Ravens Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor to replace Mark Ingram

Super Bowl LIV is done and over with, marking the official start of the offseason for the NFL. The full draft order has been figured out and every team’s initial needs have been identified. While previous mock drafts have been great exercises in learning the names of prospects, the first post-Super Bowl mock drafts are where things really start getting serious.

In Draft Wire’s first mock draft following Super Bowl LIV, writer Luke Easterling once again handed the Baltimore Ravens a running back in the first round. Easterling though Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor is a good fit for Baltimore’s run-first offense, especially given how the injury to starter Mark Ingram derailed their postseason.

“Mark Ingram’s absence was painfully obvious in Baltimore’s playoff meltdown, and the Ravens would do well to seek a young back who can do all things he brings to the table. Taylor is a complete runner who has the vision, patience, power and explosiveness to be a dangerous weapon in the league’s top rushing attack.”

While I understand Easterling’s reasoning, running backs simply don’t carry the same value they did a decade ago. Over the last 10 NFL drafts, only five have seen multiple running backs drafted in the first round, with two drafts not seeing a single running back taken in the first round. Compare that to 25 consecutive drafts prior to 2010 that saw multiple running backs taken in the first round for a good idea of how teams just don’t value the position like they used to.

In reality, teams can find a starting-quality running back later in the draft, especially if they don’t have a dramatic need for one immediately. The Ravens have perfected that strategy over the last few years. Both Alex Collins and Gus Edwards were brought up from the practice squad in the middle of the season while Ingram was a value free-agent signing last offseason. Even going back to Ray Rice — the last running back Baltimore drafted who started for multiple seasons — they found him in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft.

With much bigger needs at pass rusher, wide receiver, inside linebacker and interior offensive line looming for the Ravens, drafting a running back in the first round would be a tough sell. Even for a team that often drafts the “best player available” regardless of position, there’s little reasoning to believe a first-round running back would even lock up a starting spot by his second season.

Instead, a player like LSU linebacker Patrick Queen, who was taken just two picks later at No. 30, would make far more sense for Baltimore in the 2020 NFL draft.

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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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All-hands Ravens Wire mock draft: Everyone grabs defense in 1st round

The writers here at Ravens Wire all took a stab at picking for the Baltimore Ravens in the 2020 NFL draft, grabbing impact defensive players

The 2020 NFL draft is still a few months away but with the Baltimore Ravens already in their offseason, everyone is looking forward. That means scouting the prospects and seeing who might be available when the Ravens are on the clock.

I asked the writers here at Ravens Wire to all run a simulation of the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. While we got a few different answers, it was clear everyone was on board with grabbing impact defensive players in the first round.

Take a look at who everyone took with the No. 28 pick in the 2020 NFL draft and why.

Matthew Stevens: LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma

First and foremost, I’m not turning down an Oklahoma guy that fits a need given Baltimore’s new predilection towards those players under general manager Eric DeCosta. While a pass rusher is the biggest need by far, I believe Murray can be a three-down inside linebacker and the replacement for C.J. Mosley.

After getting gashed on the ground by the Tennessee Titans in the playoffs, it was clear how much Baltimore missed having a sure-thing at linebacker. After limping through the season with Patrick Onwuasor, Chris Board and Josh Bynes; and with serious question marks at the position entering this offseason, it was a no brainer to fill the spot with an immediate starter in Murray.

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Mel Kiper mock draft 1.0: Ravens take C.J. Mosley’s replacement

The Baltimore Ravens grab LSU linebacker Patrick Queen in the 2020 NFL draft to replace C.J. Mosley, according to Mel Kiper.

There are tons of draft analysts around, but none as famous as ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Well known for his player evaluations and mock drafts, Kiper is one of the few analysts around that draw attention every time he puts together a mock draft.

Now that we know which underclassmen are entering the 2020 NFL draft, team needs established and the NFL Scouting Combine quickly approaching, Kiper had enough information to put together his very first mock draft of the offseason.

At No. 28, Kiper has the Baltimore Ravens taking LSU linebacker Patrick Queen.

“Did the Ravens ever really replace C.J. Mosley? Not really, though that defense didn’t have many weaknesses for the last few months of the season. Journeyman Josh Bynes took the reins, but he’s a free agent, and general manager Eric DeCosta could upgrade with Queen, a fast, athletic, run-and-hit middle linebacker who is rising up boards because of his play down the stretch of LSU’s title run. He was tremendous in the two College Football Playoff games, picking up four tackles for loss and 16 total tackles. This is a great fit. Baltimore could also address another spot in the front seven.”

While not the biggest pressing need for Baltimore this offseason, they never really found a suitable long-term answer for C.J. Mosley’s departure. They hoped Patrick Onwuasor and Chris Board would team up to make up for the loss but wound up out of the starting lineup shortly into the 2019 season in favor of Josh Bynes and L.J. Fort — two players who hadn’t started a game last season prior to joining the Ravens in Week 5.

With Onwuasor and Bynes among Baltimore’s 21 pending free agents this offseason, there are no guarantees the Ravens will be able to even limp into the 2020 season with what they had last year, much less upgrade at the position. That makes the 2020 NFL draft the ideal location to find Mosley’s replacement and improve the play upfront in Baltimore’s defense.

NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah is also high on Queen, ranking him as his second-best linebacker prospect. Well known for his sideline-to-sideline speed and range, Queen is exactly the type of player the Ravens need at the position. Baltimore’s defense has struggled against running backs and tight ends in coverage over the years, failing to match their speed in the passing game, often getting gouged for big yards in key situations. While Queen is also well noted for being a little undersized, most draft analysts praise his football intelligence for helping him get to the hole quickly to make big plays in the run game.

Queen looks like a prospect who could realistically start Week 1 for the Ravens and has a high enough ceiling to excel there. That’s all any team could ask for from their first-round pick.

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Ravens add Alabama pass rusher Terrell Lewis in USA TODAY Sports mock draft

The Baltimore Ravens return to their love of Alabama players by selecting pass rusher Terrell Lewis in this latest 2020 NFL draft mock.

The Baltimore Ravens have just gotten to their offseason but you better believe general manager Eric DeCosta and the rest of the front office have been eyeing up the 2020 NFL draft for months. With the list of prospects growing each day as players announce their intention to join the draft, the options available grow as well.

Though the NFL scouting combine is next month and the draft is still several months away, that’s not stopping analysts from putting together their mock drafts. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY Sports put together a mock of the first round of the 2020 NFL draft and gave the Ravens a player that makes too much sense.

With the No. 28 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Baltimore selected Alabama pass rusher Terrell Lewis.

“Going the Ozzie Newsome route by picking up an Alabama product with considerable upside would be a fitting way for Eric DeCosta to address a pass rush in need of revitalization.”

In my most recent mock draft, I too had Lewis falling to the Ravens in the first round. The front office’s connection to Alabama still stands strong even though Newsome is no longer the general manager. In addition, it fits arguably the Ravens’ biggest need this offseason.

Baltimore will likely watch outside linebacker Matthew Judon enter the free-agent market this offseason. As one of the top options available, Judon is expected to earn a huge contract, which could push the Ravens to let him leave instead of overpaying for him. Even if Baltimore is able to re-sign him, they desperately need more depth opposite him as Tyus Bowser and Jaylon Ferguson have yet to become consistent options there.

Lewis might still be pretty raw as a three-down outside linebacker but he has all the physical tools necessary to become a really great player. At the very least, the Ravens could simply tell Lewis to go get the football solely as a pass rusher and likely get him on the field quite a lot as a rookie until he develops more as an all-around player.

We’ll undoubtedly see the 2020 NFL draft board change quite a few more times over the coming months as players improve and hurt their stock. But for now, Lewis is a prospect to watch very closely.

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