Best move: Sticking with their board. The Ravens’ middle of their defense was significantly upgraded because the team took the best player available instead of addressing a more pressing need at offensive tackle and safety. The result: the Ravens landed a top-10 prospect (Alabama inside linebacker C.J. Mosley) at No. 17 overall and a first-round talent (Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan) in the middle of the second round. Mosley and Jernigan are two of the best in this draft in shedding blocks and stopping the run. The Ravens could’ve taken Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round and Virginia offensive tackle Morgan Moses in the second if they were trying to fill holes. But the Ravens haven’t finished in the top 10 in defense since 2011, and Mosley and Jernigan are impact players who can get this defense back to its traditionally strong level.
Riskiest move: Not taking an offensive tackle. The Ravens showed a lot of faith in Rick Wagner when they didn’t draft a tackle with any of their nine picks in this year’s draft. Wagner, a fifth-round pick from a year ago, is now penciled in as the starting right tackle. Even though Michael Oher never lived up to expectations, this is a downgrade on the right side of the line. If Wagner struggles, the Ravens could start Ryan Jensen, a sixth-round pick from a year ago, at left guard and move Kelechi Osemele to right tackle. Another option is signing veteran free agent Eric Winston, who played six years under Gary Kubiak in Houston. While it’s a risky move not to draft an offensive tackle, it’s difficult to argue with their strategy. The top four tackles were gone before the Ravens were on the clock in the first round, and it would’ve been a reach to take Moses or North Dakota State’s Billy Turner in the second round. An offensive tackle just failed to fall to them this year.
Most surprising move: Drafting a blocking tight end in the third round. This was the one head-scratcher of the Ravens’ draft. Colorado State’s Crockett Gilmore is a blocking tight end who’s only played the position for three years. ESPN’s Todd McShay rated him as the 165th prospect in this draft, and the Ravens selected him at No. 99. By the time the Ravens picked again, five running backs (Florida State’s Devonta Freeman, Boston College’s Andre Williams, Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey, Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas and Wisconsin’s James White) and two other players previously linked to the Ravens (Clemson wide receiver Martavis Bryant and Utah cornerback Keith McGill) were gone. Tight ends play a major role in Kubiak’s offense, and the Ravens underscored their importance by taking Gilmore on Day 2.
File it away: The future starting center of the Ravens may have been drafted in the fifth round. John Urschel started at right guard the past two years at Penn State, but he can play all three spots on the interior of the line. There’s no question he’s smart enough to handle the center position. Urschel won the William V. Campbell Trophy, also known as the academic Heisman, and he has a master’s degree in math. The Ravens don’t need a center right now after trading for Jeremy Zuttah, but no one should be surprised if Urschel finds his niche there in a few years.
My take–I love the 7th round pick of Michael Campanaro, WR from Wake. I hope not selecting Andre Williams doesn’t come back to haunt the Ravers
No comments have been posted yet, be the first!
Post a comment by filling out the form below.
