Ravens 2021 Comprehensive Draft Guide

This Ravens 2021 Comprehensive Draft Guide is an analysis of draft strategies and selections for the Ravens.  It is written solely from the perspective of the Ravens.  It considers the current Ravens roster and focuses on players that fit within, and will add to, the anticipated focus of the Ravens for the 2021 season.  It rates prospective draftees only from the perspective of the Ravens’ needs and approaches.  Accordingly, certain players who may otherwise be ranked highly by third parties in the context of their particularly skill sets are devalued in this report because, among other reasons, their skill sets do not address the Ravens’ needs and strategies.

Because the focus is strictly on the Ravens, given their current roster composition, an analysis of quarterback prospects this year is completely omitted.

This year was particularly challenging, as many players opted out in 2020 – leaving much less information to evaluate with.  As a result, there are far more “projections” than normal.  So let’s dig in.

Part I – Potential Ravens’ Scenarios in the First Round

Background

Let’s start off this Ravens 2021 Comprehensive Guide with a look at where they stand from a picks perspective.  The Ravens hold the 27^th and 31^st picks in the first round, worth 680 points and 600 points, respectively, on the Johnson chart. They have nine selections overall (94, 104, 131, 136, 171, 184 and 210).  The Ravens typically look to accumulate more picks given their “volume” approach to drafting.  Because there were so many opt-outs this year, with evaluations being more difficult, having extra draft capital to move around the board is a big advantage.

Impact of the Orlando Brown Trade

It’s no surprise that they traded Brown, especially after their interest in Villaneuva surfaced. I expect them to sign Villaneuva after May 2 (a disappointment if they don’t) and plug him in as the starter on the right side.  He’s not as good as Brown in the run game but no one would expect that, particularly at this point in his career.  I expect the Ravens to draft another tackle on day 2 or 3.

Trade Up Possibilities are Now Real

Having traded Brown for the 31^st, 94^th and apparently pick 136th pick while losing their second rounder, the Ravens are now in a position to take any approach they want for days one and two. For one, they are in a good position to move up to get “their guy”.

Given the strength of the Ravens roster and the relatively few spots open, I believe that the probability of a trade-up to get that guy is a bit higher than normal.  To give a sense of how high up the Ravens could go, possessing 1280 first round points, the Ravens could move all the way up to picks 10-11 (10 is Dallas worth 1300 points and 11 is the Giants worth 1250) without offering more than the two first rounders.  The Giants would be the more likely target, as they only have six picks (the Cowboys have 10) and the Giants need to accumulate more trade capital.  I look below at targets that might make sense at pick 10-11.

Perhaps more realistically the Ravens could work their way up to, say, pick 18 (Miami) which is valued at 900 points, and look to get back a second-round pick at Miami’s pick 50 (combining 18 and 50 is 1300 points, so from that perspective it’s a doable deal).  Miami would wind up with three number one picks.  Similarly, Washington at 19 and 51 is worth 1265 points, also doable.

Originally, before the Brown trade I spent no time on players who could go between picks 10 and 20, believing the Ravens just didn’t have the draft capital to pull off a trade to move up that high.  Now, they do, so I had to really burn some midnight oil to catch up to what could happen.

Ravens 2021 Comprehensive Guide: Trade Back, at Least With One of the Number 1’s

There is a lot of depth in the first several rounds, and the Ravens could also use that extra first round pick and some of their others to wind up with more overall picks in the first three rounds. There are many possibilities.  Again, pick number 27 is 680 points, and pick 31 is 600 points.  And of course, for any team there is value at getting a pick at the bottom of the first round versus the top of the second round – you get an extra year on that first contract.

Let’s take a look at a couple of trade possibilities.  For example, Carolina has pick 39 (510 points) and pick 73 (225 points) – a total of 735.  The Ravens could swap out pick 27 along with a fourth and a fifth, or pick 31 along with two fourths and a fifth.   Detroit has pick 41 (490 points) and 72 (230 points), etc.  Or we could see something less dramatic from the perspective of how far the Ravens drop back.  Atlanta has pick 35 (550 points) and 108 (78 points) and the Ravens could move back from 31 by adding in pick 171.  And on we go.

But – I also don’t think this is the year to accumulate a huge haul of picks.  There just aren’t that many roster spots available.  Further, there clearly will be a bunch of age that will fall off of the 2022 roster: Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams, Derek Wolfe, Pernell McPhee, L.J. Fort, and Jimmy Smith are all likely/probable not to be back.  Then, there are Boykin and Elliott, whom the Ravens will have to make decisions on.  And no doubt a few more.  So if the Ravens are going to accumulate picks, next year will be the year – even with three comp picks already coming their way in 2022.

Part II – Ravens 2021 Comprehensive Guide– The Ravens First Round Pick

At the outset, to me this really is a wide-open board.  There aren’t that many slam-dunk picks and players at the positions the Ravens likely covet could be valued dramatically differently by different teams.  It’s also far more difficult than last year, when the pre-draft board analysis strongly suggested that Queen could fall to them, as predicted.  This year – not so easy to predict!

The Needs

These are easy to identify:

Edge

The Ravens do not have a complete, three-down player for either edge position. Tyus Bowser is the closest, as he is a solid, swiss-army-knife OLB.  We all know he has had modest sack numbers and has been kept fresh in a rotational structure.  But I think he will be more productive as a rusher with more opportunities, though never dominant.

Jaylon Ferguson clearly has not climbed very far up the developmental pole, given his limited playing time last year.  At times, he holds the edge fabulously well – which is an essential for a Ravens’ edge defender (more so than getting to the QB).  At other times, he takes himself out of position at the snap.  He’s provided little more than effort sacks to date and is lacking any kind of rush repertoire or real plan.  Pernell McPhee provides solid rotational value but cannot be asked to carry a full load.  And then what?  This is the biggest roster question mark on the team.  And I expect them to solve it with at least one draft selection (and probably two) and then signing Justin Houston, post-draft, as a rotational (and teaching) rusher.

Interior Offensive Line

The Zeitler signing solves right guard. Now, what about left guard and center?  Clearly, Bozeman will fill one or the other, and if they are unable to draft a starting-caliber player for either, are the Ravens really willing to move Bozeman to center and play – who – at left guard?

We know nothing about Ben Bredeson.  Tyree Phillips is still a developmental project.  Ben Powers is just too deficient in pass protect (though, perhaps, someone might want him on draft day?).  At center, Patrick Mekari is really the utility infielder on the line, leaving Trystan Colon-Castillo as a competitor for the spot.  Now, he held up well in his two starts, including against the Steelers, but will the Ravens have that much faith in him?

Wide Receiver

The glamor slot for all Ravens’ fans. How big of a hole is it?

(1)          Marquise Brown

I am a much bigger Hollywood Brown fan than most.  I think he is a number one receiver in this league.  Teams gave him the second most snap-cushion in the league last year, underscoring the reality that he is an elite deep threat.  There’s a lot of opportunity underneath for Brown, but the Ravens really don’t exploit it.

His drops?  In my view they were largely concentration drops (Brown makes the difficult catches), perhaps the result of his number just not being called enough to keep this young player interested 100% of the time.  Moreover, the Ravens designs with Brown are just so rudimentary.  He offers much more from his skill sets than the Ravens are asking – shame on the Ravens’ coaches.

(2)          Devin Duvernay

Duvernay certainly flashed last year (his puzzling disappearance in the last part of the year was just that – puzzling).  Duvernay’s skill set offers much more than Willie Snead ever did, and I am expecting a major break-out from Duvernay this season.  There’s no reason this guy can’t catch 60 balls at least – if the Ravens throw them.

(3)          Miles Boykin

Boykin, of course, has been the subject of criticism and, to a reasonable degree, rightly so.  For me, he’s not a crisp cutter and rounds his routes a bit too much.  He doesn’t read corners as well as he should, leading to miscommunication with Lamar.  He’s a long-strider but with very good top-end speed.  And with Brown getting all of the attention, Boykin gets none.

Now the Ravens do virtually nothing with him – he’s rarely been incorporated into the game plan as a target.  When we see him, he is frequently open – but we don’t see him enough.  And they just haven’t used his big body at all.  Very little in the middle of the field.  Nothing in the red zone except when Lamar improvises.  Boykin remains a bit of an enigma in a season that will be make or break for him.  Could they upgrade?  Presumably so, but to some degree we still don’t know what we have in Boykin.

(4)          Impact of Orlando Brown Trade

Now the trade of Orlando Brown could have a big impact here.  Before the trade, I thought there was no way the Ravens would be in position to go after any of the top three wide-outs: Ja’Marr Chase, Devonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle.  But now, it is certainly very likely that at least one of them would be available at picks 10 or 11, and perhaps even a bit lower.  I’m guessing that in any scenario Chase will not be there.  But either Waddle or Smith could.  And so I’ve reconfigured things to address that scenario.  To be assured of getting one of these two guys, the Ravens probably must move up to at least pick 14 (Minnesota, 1100 points) but more likely to 10 or 11.  It’s a very big move up, for sure, especially when there are quality WRs available a bit lower, so I see it as a lower probability, for sure.  But one can dream, and it would be tempting.

(5)          Ravens Offense

Regardless, the Ravens must – absolutely must – better balance their attack or they will never win the Super Bowl.  The best teams will dedicate themselves to closing in on the Ravens’ run game – as they have in the playoffs – and the Ravens must be able to put corners, safeties, and LB’s back on their heels.  I’ve been very critical of Greg Roman’s schemes and remain so.  The Ravens can draft all the number one receivers they like, but if they don’t change their approach (which doesn’t mean a full re-write, by the way – they can still emphasize the run), they could draft Jerry Rice and it won’t matter.

Granted, that’s a bit of a rant, but it really goes to how the Ravens should deploy their draft capital, especially in Rounds 1 and 2.  If they aren’t going to alter their scheme into a better run-pass balance, then don’t waste top-end draft capital on a wideout – and vice versa.  Of course, if they trade up to get Waddle or Smith, by definition they are telling us that their approach will be more diversified.

(6)          Wide Receiver Concepts: Observations on the Big-Bodied Wide Guy Versus Slot Receivers

Now I’m going to make an argument that really hadn’t dawned on me until focusing on the Ravens wide receiver situation and the prospects in this draft.  As you’ll see, in my view most of the better receiver prospects on this year’s board are more “slot-type” wideouts.  Typically sub-6 feet tall and sub 185 pounds.

The traditional theory around the league has always been that big-bodied receivers are needed for a variety of purposes: jump-ball catches, boxing out smaller corners, and breaking out from press coverage being some of the principal advantages.  For the Ravens in particular let’s not forget down-field blocking.  No doubt these are physical attribute situational advantages.

But it struck me that elite smaller wide-outs could be used more liberally on the outside depending on the physical skills that they possess.  And that grouping three such players on the field at the same time presents the opportunity for real advantage.  No defensive secondary is structured to compete with such a grouping of receivers.

Elite here means possessing great quick feet and initial burst and, hopefully, combined with high-jump ability and strong hands (call these guys “Slot Quicks”).  Yes, it’s true most of those Slot Quicks will have less success with downfield blocking against bigger corners.  But the best Slot Quicks can use their key attributes to either break press with their feet and/or cause corners to back out of press for fear of being abused.  This is, I would argue, what happens with a player like Hollywood Brown, whom corners are so afraid of that they just don’t press him.

Then, I wonder, do such Slot Quicks create, on average, more separation?  In theory, advanced analytics could measure this.  Because if they do, then I argue that their catching-space radius horizontally at least makes up, or perhaps exceeds, their lesser catching-space radius vertically.  Less jump-ball throws by QBs, and more numbers-throws or lower.

If there is any truth to this, utilizing three Slot Quicks at once could actually be devastating.  Every defense in the league tries to find bigger corners who can use physicality to impose their will on wideouts.  And to match-up against traditionally larger wideouts.  But, I argue, using physicality against elite Slot Quicks is not so easy, especially if those bigger corners have to turn their hips faster to match these Slot Quicks.  This is why teams draft nickel-slot corners, who are typically smaller and quicker.  But no team in the league has more than one such quality slot corner.

I’ll acknowledge that I love Slot Quick players.  Especially when the Ravens can pare them with Lamar.  That doesn’t mean that the Ravens should abandon the larger-bodied wideout.  There is clearly a use.  But what it does mean is that the Ravens could invest draft capital to create a dynamic they could deploy at any time that no team has the personnel to defend.  When you read my analysis below about which wide receivers the Ravens should pursue, you’ll see that this approach is doable from the crop this year.

Other Needs

A true free-safety type would be a boon. There are some candidates.  The Ravens absolutely must – and will – draft additional D-Line help.  Who knows what happens with Broderick Washington, and there’s just too much age with Williams, Campbell and Wolfe.  This could be a focus much higher than people may think.  Then there’s the slot-corner concern – Tavon Young just can’t stay (or even get) on the field and I’d much rather see Marlon Humphrey stay on the outside.  From the third round on, a slot corner would not be a shock.  Another tight end for sure – if they can find one as it’s a very weak class.

Ravens 2021 Comprehensive Guide: First Round Worthy Draft Targets Given the Ravens’ Needs

Given the Ravens’ needs, there are several real targets – though, in my view, not necessarily the players that have been hyped to them. There are two groups.  First, if they trade way up:

Devonta Smith

Jaylen Waddle

Second, if they don’t trade up, at least to get Smith or Waddle, the other candidates:

1. Alijah Vera-Tucker – Guard for the Ravens (and the Ravens could trade up a little lower to reach for him).
2. Christian Darrisaw – OT
3. Tevin Jenkins – OT
4. Elijah Moore – WR
5. Rashod Bateman – WR
6. Terrace Marshall – WR
7. Kadarius Toney – WR
8. Jaelen Phillips – Edge
9. Joe Tryon – Edge
10. Azeez Ojulari – Edge
11. Jayson Oweh – Edge
12. Kwity Paye – Edge (unlikely to be there).

Now who’s not on the list?  Landon Dickerson and Creed Humphrey, center candidates, neither of whom I think belong in round one.  Trevor Moehrig, the safety, is also a bit below round one and also taking into account that though the Ravens could upgrade to a free safety, they prospered fairly well last year with what they have.

But some of the guys on the list, I argue below, really aren’t first rounders.

The Edge Guys

Right off the bat: I am not a big fan of Azeez Ojulari given what the Ravens expect from their edge guys. Take a look at my deeper comments in the Player Detail section of this report.  In addition to those notes, I don’t see him as anything more than a rotational contributor in his first year if the Ravens did take him.  He is not, at this point, a three-down player and likely would not be on the field on first down.

I have similar concerns about Jayson Oweh.  The guy played only eight games, making projection very difficult.  Yes, he’s a tremendous athlete.  And yes, he was on occasion disruptive as a pass rusher.  But there was no where near the rush productivity one would expect from a guy with his traits.  Frankly, it would make me a bit nervous if he was available at pick 27.  Would I take him?  No, even with his tremendous upside.  It’s hard to see him getting big-time snaps on a Super Bowl caliber team like the Ravens given how raw he is.  There’s just a lot of risk there.  Now if he is fully coached up, which will take at least a year (maybe two) he has the potential to be a Pro Bowl player.  But I don’t think the Ravens have that kind of luxury given their need at the edge.

For me, the clear winner here is Jaelen Phillips (see his detailed report).  He is not the phenomenal athlete that Oweh is.  He does not have the classic speed rush skills that Ojulari has.  But he can do a bit of everything and does it all pretty well.  He’s shown a lot more on game tape.  He’s the guy that I hope falls down the board among these three.  He does have prior medical concerns (concussions primarily) so that does have to check out, and it’s a reason he might slide down the board.

The Wide Receiver Group

Waddle and Smith speak for themselves. Both have superstar upside.  For the Ravens, Smith is probably a little better fit physically, as there may be concern over having two very smallish receivers (Hollywood Brown and Waddle) and no real big guy getting significant reps.  But frankly, I could see them moving up for either guy because the Ravens skill group would be league-transitional (assuming Greg Roman understands how to use it).  Can you imagine – Jackson, Dobbins, Hollywood, either Smith or Waddle, with Andrews stressing the seam?  Look out!  I don’t think anyone could defend that group.

Now, they don’t necessarily have to move up to achieve that type of outcome.  There are a couple of wideouts who I really like who can provide the same type of dynamic skills.  And I discuss that a little further below.

But for now let’s take a look at the next wave of receivers assuming the Ravens don’t make the massive move up in round one.  The problem here is simple.  If the Ravens are determined to find a bigger bodied guy, there are only two candidates who, based on what I’ve seen, are worthy of being selected in the top two rounds, and they are the obvious ones.  So let’s start with those two.

First, Terrace Marshall.  I watched a lot of tape on Marshall, and I’m not convinced he would be truly transformative.  He certainly has most of the measurables, starting with size and speed.  But I never saw him play against press, his hands were a bit inconsistent (especially over the middle) and he showed little blocking ability or willingness.  I’m also a bit concerned about his willingness to put in the work.  Would he be an upgrade over Boykin?  Yes, with a high probability.  His feet and quickness are better.  Pick 27?  Not for me.  Pick 31?  Don’t think so.  But if the Ravens don’t take him with one of those picks, unless they trade around and pick up a second rounder, he’ll likely not be available in the third round where they currently pick.

And the same is true of the other candidate, Rashod Bateman.  He’s not as big as Marshall and though I don’t see him as transformative either, he has the footwork and hands to play strongly on the outside.  He doesn’t take advantage of his speed as completely as he should because he is slow out of the blocks due to a hitch in his approach– it’s something that seems correctable.  Bateman is a more conservative pick, in my view, than Marshall.  And by that I mean that you will get a guy that will make the catches you need, play tough and make some big plays once he’s in motion.  But round 1?  I’m not sold.  And round 3 – he’ll also never be there at the Raven’s picks.

Then there’s the other group, all slot-type guys, with Elijah Moore being the only one who could arguably consistently compete on the outside because of his build.  But the guy to really pay attention to, for me, is Kadarius Toney.  As you’ll read below, I believe he is one of the, if not the, best open field guys with the ball that I’ve ever seen.  Ever.  Just impossible to tackle, he breaks guys’ ankles all over the field.  And you can scheme the ball to him all kinds of ways – screens, jet sweeps, slants, down the field, etc.  He’s not perfect.  But Toney could go anywhere in the draft from 15 on down and could easily be the fourth receiver drafted, in my view.  He could also fall out of the first round.  If he’s there at 31, he’s mine!  He’s a guy I’ll be watching to see if he’s available to the Ravens on day one.

The Pick(s)

So there are three scenarios: (a) trade way up for one of the wide-outs, leaving the Ravens with just the one first rounder and no second-round pick; (b) trade up more modestly for Vera-Tucker, in which case the Ravens would still probably have pick 31, or (c) have picks 27 and 31 available at the times they are on the board.

Scenario 1 – Smith, if available, then Waddle

Scenario 2 – Vera-Tucker, then with pick 31 if Phillips is miraculously there, take him. If not then Tryon.

Scenario 3 – Either Vera-Tucker or Phillips is available at 27. If it’s Phillips, which is possible, then go wideout and take Toney if he’s there, or Bateman or Moore, in that order.  If all are gone, trade back, if possible, to be positioned to have two second rounders.  If no trade back, and the tackles Darrisaw and Jenkins are both gone, then the Ravens are sliding to guys I have graded in the second round, such as Leatherwood (guard) or one of the safeties.  Now I don’t really love Tevin Jenkins (OT), not nearly as much as others do, so I could easily bypass him altogether.

Note that a lot of this is premised on the notion that the Ravens will sign Villaneuva. If that’s not in the cards, they must be looking at Darrisaw, then Jenkins, as starters.  And if they were lucky enough to get Vera-Tucker they might surprise everyone by taking a tackle too.  But this is a longer-shot possibility; and there are some developmental OT’s farther down the board.

My Favorites

If available, my number one, given the Ravens’ needs (and assuming no giant trade up), is Vera-Tucker. He is a complete player and has Pro Bowl guard written all over him.  Yes, that could scramble them quite a bit from an edge perspective, depending upon what happens with Phillips and Tryon.  But I’d be ecstatic if somehow they wound up with Vera-Tucker and either Phillips or Tryon.  If both are gone, the Ravens would then be counting on Wink Martindale’s defensive scheming and handle the edge a lot more by committee.  But I’m OK with that because the Ravens would wind up with a dominant offensive line leading to a lot more balance in the attack.

Vera-Tucker is the one I’d like to see slide down the board (assuming again no giant trade up), then Phillips.  So here’s the order of preference:

                Top Choice – Vera-Tucker

                2^nd Choice – Jaelen Phillips

             3^rd Choice – Kadarius Toney – Yes, he’s not the big bodied outside guy and, frankly, I doubt the Ravens would take him; they’ll probably prefer Bateman or Marshall.  But there’s hope!

And then there’s Joe Tryon.  Now he’s a guy who has a reasonably good chance of falling into the second round.  If the Ravens were lucky enough to get Vera-Tucker, I would consider Tryon with pick 31.

What should be clear – round one could go a lot of different ways for the Ravens and should be fun.

Part III – The Ravens’ Big Board

Round 1 Players (see player detail in Part IV):

1. Alijah Vera-Tucker – Guard for the Ravens
2. Jaelen Phillips – Edge
3. Devonta Smith – WR
4. Jaylen Waddle – WR
5. Kadarius Toney – WR
6. Christian Darrisaw – OT
7. Joe Tryon – OLB
8. Elijah Moore – WR
9. Tevin Jenkins – OT
10. Kwity Paye – OLB (can’t see him being available, nor can I image the Ravens would trade up to get him, so I have not focused on him. But read the detail on him below).
11. Azeez Olujari – OLB
12. Jayson Oweh – OLB

Round 2:

1. Rashod Bateman – WR
2. Terrace Marshall – WR
3. Rondale Moore – WR
4. Pat Freiermuth – TE
5. Alex Leatherwood – G (OT convert)
6. Landon Dickerson – C
7. Creed Humphrey – C
8. Quinn Meinerz – C
9. Christian Barmore – DL
10. Levi Onwuzurike – DL
11. Milton Williams – DL
12. Trevon Moehrig – FS
13. Richie Grant – FS
14. Jamar Johnson – S
15. Asante Samuel – CB
16. Karl Joseph – CB
17. Payton Turner – Edge (really a 4/3 DE)
18. Joseph Ossai – Edge
19. Gregory Rousseau – Edge

Round 3:

1. Amari Rodgers – WR
2. Cade Johnson – WR
3. Brevin Jordan – TE
4. Wyatt Davis – G
5. Brady Christensen – G (OT convert)
6. Jalen Mayfield – G (OT convert)
7. Samuel Cosmi – OT
8. James Hudson – OT
9. Liam Eichenberg – OT
10. Walker Little – OT
11. Ronnie Perkins – Edge
12. Alim McNeil – DL
13. Daviyon Nixon – DL
14. Jay Tufele – DL
15. Osa Odighuzuwa – DL
16. Andre Cisco – S
17. Jevon Holland – S
18. Ifeatu Melifonwu – CB
19. Elijah Molden – CB
20. T. Eric Stokes – CB

Round 4:

1. Dyami Brown – WR
2. Jaelon Darden – WR
3. Simi Fehoko – WR
4. Josh Palmer – WR
5. Tylan Wallace – WR
6. Tommy Tremble – TE
7. Deonte Brown – G
8. Ben Cleveland – G
9. David Moore – G
10. Trey Smith – G
11. Dillon Radunz – OT
12. Kenneth Gainwell – RB
13. Tommy Togiai – DL
14. Marlon Tuipulotu – DL
15. Shakur Brown – CB
16. Zach McPhearson – CB

Round 5 and Beyond:

1. Tutu Atwell – WR
2. Dax Milne – WR
3. Dazz Newsome – WR
4. Austin Watkins – WR
5. Hunter Long – TE
6. Jaylon Moore – G
7. Drake Jackson – C
8. D’Ante Smith – OT
9. Demtric Felton – RB
10. Rhamondre Stevenson – RB
11. Khalil Herbert – RB
12. Cam Sample – Edge
13. Patrick Johnson – Edge
14. Janarious Robinson – Edge
15. Elerson Smith – Edge
16. Bobby Brown III – DL
17. Quinton Bohanna – DT
18. Washington – CB
19. S. Aaron Robinson – CB
20. Robert Rochell – CB
21. Benjamin St-Juste – CB
22. Darren Hall – CB
23. Tre Brown – CB
24. Josh Imatorbhebhe – WR

Part IV – Player Detail (alphabetical order by position)

OFFENSE

Wide Receiver

The draft class is strong but heavily tilted towards slot-types.  Given the Ravens situation with Duvernay figuring for the slot, pure outside wide-out candidates are fewer than one might otherwise think.  Or, someone “slotted” may wind up outside.

Not Reviewed: Ja’Marr Chase

Tutu Atwell – 5’9, 155 – He’s the smallest of the small and, unsurprisingly, poses the obvious shortcomings that one simply cannot overcome.  At the same time, he has been an absolute home-run hitter, running with elite top-end speed; a tremendous deep ball hitter and a big play threat.  Almost 30% of his college hauls were on screens (where he is protected) and he lined up outside only 20% of the time over the last two years.  His route running needs work and that might be more complicated by larger NFL defenders’ physicality at the line of scrimmage and on the underneath routes.  Forget blocking it isn’t going to happen.  For the Ravens, he doesn’t offer what they need – a tough, physical, strong route runner who can make the contested catch.  And he’s just too tiny.  RD: 5

Rashod Bateman – At 6’, 190, Bateman has decent size.  He’s been a very physical receiver who is a polished and complete route-runner.  He has strong top-end speed (ran a 4.39) yet is not explosive.  That lack of explosiveness is probably the greatest concern as his footwork is more deliberative than natural.  He has a bad habit of rocking back slightly on the snap, a large reason why he is a bit slow out of the blocks.  Yet, once he’s moving his technical footwork is very good and his cuts are precise and sharp.  He has good hands (though there were more drops than one would expect) and can and will catch the ball in the middle of the field.  He will rip the ball away from corners.  He high points the ball very well.  He’s very good on broken routes and helps the QB.  He has shown strength through contact.  He’s been a YAC producer in college though there is some debate whether some of that is based more on effort than on skills.  He can play outside or in the slot.  He was not consistently elite against the top corners.  Bateman is not the perfect prospect, though he offers the Ravens a lot (but not all) of what they are presumably looking for.  In my view, he’s a second-round selection.  RD: 2

Dyami Brown – 6’, 189.  A deep-ball maverick at UNC, averaging over 20 yards per catch.  Very good speed but not absolutely elite.  His shuttle and three-cone times were not outstanding and, frankly, a bit disappointing.  But he’s strong for his size.  Brown is a double-move fiend who has very good initial acceleration and a quick release out of his breaks.  He has burst to the ball on downfield throws.  But his initial short-space foot quickness is not great (as underscored by his drills) and this could be a problem in shorter routes.  As well, his footwork coming out of cuts could be better.  Right now, he’s best as a one-cutter with the quickness to separate.  His hands have been mediocre.  He’s athletic on the field though with only average strength at the point of attack.  He adjusts to the ball very well.  A solid, good blocker.  Although he has improved his route running, he was not asked to run much of a tree at UNC so there’s need for some real growth in the NFL.  Brown has work to do to be a major contributor but there is reason to believe he will get there.  For the Ravens, he is likely more of a project as opposed to a day one contributor and may well get drafted higher than where I mark him.  RD: 4

Jaelon Darden – 5’8, 174.  This guy has great feet and is electric in all respects – getting off the line, running with the ball, separating, etc.  He was incredible coming out of his cuts.  His workout reinforces that (93^rd percentile three-cone; 97^th percentile shuttle).  He was tremendous with YAC last year.  Now he played against lesser competition (from North Texas State) and his route running certainly needs work – he was able to separate so easily against that lesser competition.  And you will get nothing, to this point, on contested catches.  It will be interesting to see how he competes in the middle of the field, but I would expect him to frequently win with his quickness.  Unsurprisingly has smaller hands and of course a smaller catch radius.  But he has a combination of speed and burst which few can match, and he can take the top off with the best.  Defenses will have to lay off this guy.  And he figures to work mostly out of the slot.  For the Ravens, if they truly love Duvernay it’s hard to see them selecting Darden, as Duvernay seems destined as the Ravens’ slot guy.  Nevertheless, Darden has the type of quickness that one would love to add to Lamar, Hollywood, and J.K. – defenses would be stretched laterally and vertically to the max.  He presents as another small target.  Very intriguing mix guy for the Ravens.  It’s all a matter of where he falls on the board.  RD: 4

Simi Fehoko – A big, fast dude – 6’3 222 lbs, ran a 4.42 forty and has very big hands.  Fehoko is still raw at age 23 (took two years off for a mission and only started five games).  He was arguably the best receiver in the Pac-12 this year, but drops are a concern (dropped six on 59 targets, 43 of which were catchable – clunker hands last year).  At his size, he can run by most anyone (he also has burst off the line) and has the strength to go with it, both in catching and shedding.  Fehoko needs a lot of work on route running and he’s too upright.  He’s very physical at the catch point.  Blocking was inconsistent.  His size-speed combo and traits are desirable, but there is work to do at his older age.  A poor-man’s comparison to D.J. Metcalf has been made by some.  I see him as a developmental guy who will probably go higher than where I rate him.  RD: 4

Josh Imatorbhebhe – 6’1 218 – The definition of an athletic but unpolished prospect.  He is the top leaper in the class (100^th percentile in the vertical and 98^th in the broad; he also was 99^th in the bench press).  To date, he has been mostly a straight-route guy and has a lot of work to do on his route tree (below average).  He should be a jump ball phenom and his strength should make him tough after the catch.  But he’s not explosive and his hands have been very mediocre (13% drop rate over last two years).  A developmental prospect with the right coaches, and though I could see him as a seventh rounder for the Ravens, I doubt they would take him on given their receiver room.  RD: 7

Cade Johnson – 6’ 184, South Dakota State – Coming from a small school, he had an excellent Senior Bowl, where PFF had him as the highest graded receiver in one-on-one drills.  He is likely a slot-only player.  A very elusive guy but also tough and can work the middle.  Instant acceleration hitting top speed (he ran a 4.49) almost immediately, and a smooth route runner.  Pretty polished.  For the Ravens, as long as they like Duvernay, it’s hard to see Johnson as a fit, although he’s a good if not very good prospect.  RD: 3-4.

Terrace Marshall – 6’2 205.  Start with the weaknesses.  It’s all about getting separation.  His route mechanics must improve; particularly, sinking those hips.  He lacks elite burst and is not aware enough in his routes to mislead defenders.  He has had some concentration drops (12.7% drop rate; seven drops on 55 catchables).  Sideline awareness is not top-end.  He’s had two leg surgeries.  Has not been a great blocker and it showed in the three game tapes I watched.  He would have to improve significantly to take on that role for the Ravens.  And, he opted out before the big Alabama-LSU game.  Now he is young (only 20) so there is time for growth.  His strengths are well defined.  He’s a big guy who uses his upper body very well; a physical receiver.  He accelerates out of breaks.  He finishes the catch and can take on contact.  He has been an excellent red-zone target.  He is very fast (4.38) for a guy this size, and that size-speed combo makes him intriguing.  And he certainly fits on the outside although, in almost all of the game tape I watched, he lined up in the slot.  But is he a first rounder?  I don’t think he’s nearly clean enough.  And comments concerning his in-play focus are a concern, noting though his youth.  At the last minute, medical issues involving his lower body have arisen, and it’s likely related to the leg surgeries noted above.  Allegedly, the injury concerns are enough to generally move him down boards.  A clean interview and background check would be critical here – will he put in the work and have the focus?  RD: 2.

Dax Milne – 6’ 193.  Right off the bat, Milne is a slot-only receiver, so whether he’s on the Ravens’ board may depend on their evaluation of Duvernay and whether they are willing to consider a Slot Quicks concept.  Milne has shown excellent hands (3.8% drop rate last year) and is a route-quickness guy more than an explosive athlete.  He is smart.  Will not blow by corners and won’t generate a lot of YAC without space.  I don’t think he brings anything particularly special at this point.  He’ll make the catch you want and need him to, but I believe Duvernay offers a lot more.  I grade him probably lower than most.  RD: 5.

Elijah Moore – 5’9 178.  Moore is a very twitchy athlete (93^rd percentile three-cone; 98^th percentile shuttle) and it shows on tape with his quickness and speed.  A pure slot guy in college who did not face much press coverage on the tape I watched, so his route tree needs work.  He’s certainly tough for his size and he can take a hit over the middle and in any traffic while holding the ball, which he did on numerous plays that I saw.  He showed very good soft hands (two drops on 78 targets) and the ability to make difficult catches both high and low.  He was also tough for a guy his size on contested balls.  Has great change of direction ability.  He’s fluid and flexible, with excellent burst.  Brings good jab steps, head fakes, and body language up the route stem.  All around route-runner who excels on double moves.  Has reliable hands at the catch point and is dangerous as a playmaker.  All the skills are there.  For the Ravens the question is simple – will they draft another slot guy?  I grade out Moore very high.  RD: Late 1-2.

Rondale Moore – 5’7, 180.  Rondale Moore is another very short player, yet at 180 pounds he is tough as nails and very strong.  His speed and quickness are off the charts (92^nd percentile three-cone; 4.29 40-yard dash; 94^th percentile 10-yard split; 99^th percentile vertical jump).  Electric with the ball.  His stop-start ability is outstanding, and his YAC on quick-hitters was fantastic.  He allegedly runs at least 21 mph on every play.  He runs powerfully.  This guy squatted 600 pounds!

He’s great on jet sweeps.  But there weren’t many deep ball targets, for whatever reason.  Amazingly, he was rarely sent down field and most of his targets were in the short to intermediate range – Purdue did little to highlight his ability.  There is an injury history here as he only played seven games over the last two years.  He is very competitive and a high character guy.  For the Ravens, as noted with others, he slots in as a slot-only guy.  He’s arguably a first round talent and an ultimate X factor if he can stay on the field.  But the injury red flag is a major challenge.  I would be surprised if this playmaker is still there in the third round.  RD: 2 (someone will likely pull his card this high on talent alone).

Dazz Newsome – At 5’10 190, Newsome is another slot-only receiver where he played virtually 100% of the time in college.  He timed out slower (4.59) in the forty than one would like.  In my view he is not quite the player that many of the other slot receivers are in this class.  He is tough and will work the middle.  Hands have not been great, which should be enough to keep him off my board for the Ravens.  RD: 6.

Josh Palmer – 6’1 210.  He played at Tennessee, where the QB play was horrible.  He was used mostly as a deep threat and didn’t get a chance to show as much as he should have, so he has a lot more to do on the route tree.  There are questions about his ability to get separation off the line, and he seems to be a one-cut receiver with questionable separation ability.  He did show very well at the Senior Bowl, suggesting there is upside.  He is tough and uses his body well and is a good ball tracker.  Palmer has the potential to be a better pro but is likely too much of a projection at this point for the Ravens.  RD: 4

Amari Rodgers – 5’9 212.  He’s the son of Ravens coach Tee Martin.  Lawrence’s top target this year at Clemson.  He’s built like a running back and tough as nails but his measurables in his workout were below grade across the board.  Nevertheless, he gets to top speed quickly and shows a second gear.  His footwork is natural and he plucks the ball out of the air.  Very competitive.  But he’s not a “quicks” guy.  Comparisons to Deebo Samuel have been made.  Has had concentration drops.  Another guy who, to my mind, is NFL slot-only, questioning his value to the Ravens if they love Duvernay.  I rate him lower than others.  RD: 3-4.

Devonta Smith – 6’ 170.  He’s too lean to add muscle mass, so this is basically it.  He will not be able to overpower defenders, leaving some doubt as to his success rate on contested passes.  But he is very tough and doesn’t go down easy.  He has great wingspan for his size (74.5 inches).  He has elite ball skills with great hand strength.  Catches the ball away from his body.  Works back well to the QB.  Excellent short area quickness as one would demand at his weight.  Very good (but not elite) play speed with no wasted motion in his break cuts.  Great feet, incredible fluidity, and elusive after the catch, causing an enormous number of missed tackles.  Very smooth route runner.  Very competitive and tougher than his size would suggest.  Very hard worker.  Two-time captain.  Among some fantastic recent Alabama wideouts, he nevertheless led them all in receiving yards and touchdown catches (46 TD’s in 54 games with 3,965 yards).  Great hands (seven drops on 268 catchable passes).  And he’s no simple slot guy, as he was used across the formation.  He has thrived in man coverage and creates great separation.  It will be interesting to see how he handles NFL press coverage as he can be shoved yet he has excellent feet to avoid.  A game breaker who is an instinctive route-runner and very polished.  Other than his lack of weight – which will cause him to lose against bigger CBs at times in the NFL – he really has it all.  Now, he did have 35 screen catches last year, tops in the country.  But to me this illustrates his versatility as he also led in deep yards and deep catches.  RD: 1

Kadarius Toney – 6’ 193.  A very alluring, truly electric player, I’ll start with the biggest concerns: character and injuries.  He had multiple off-field incidents, being suspended for the 2018 season (details omitted).  Now, there is talk that his character has been rehabilitated, and let’s hope so.  He missed multiple games as a freshman with a variety of injuries and half of his junior year with a shoulder.  Interviews and character research are critical, given the Ravens predilection for avoiding character characters.  Now, with that said, this guy is the epitome of a sudden, ankle-breaker with the ball.  In fact, I’ve never seen a greater ankle-breaker than Toney.  He’s an electric athlete with great body balance.  His stop-and-start is amazing.  Good luck to the first guy trying to tackle him.  He is explosive and flexible and is a true tackle-breaker (broke 32 tackles on 80 catches last year).  He’s not polished as a route runner but he’s got all the athletic ability you need to get there.  At 6′ tall, the man can also jump, displaying a 40″ vertical in his workout (90th percentile).  He needs work on his steps.  A lot of what he accomplished was on screens, all of his routes that I saw were in the slot, and in the run game (lining up in the backfield primarily). But the guy moves his body at angles that no one else can.  His suddenness is unreal, and he puts so much torque on his knees that it’s amazing he survives.  Fantastic on the jet sweep.  He’s one of the most dangerous players with the ball that I’ve seen.  In the open field you can forget it.  Incredibly low center of gravity. Very good over-the-shoulder ball tracker.  Very physical with the ball and will put his shoulder down and plow right through tacklers.  He’s a free-lancer, but that could play very well with Lamar Jackson.  He’s great at sinking his hips and then accelerating through.  He apparently has a very high football IQ.  Now his body frame looks a bit smaller than he measures, and one would think he could struggle against bigger, press corners.  But I’m not so sure, because Toney probably more often than not will break press with his shiftiness, and if you try to press him and miss, forget it.   I see him more like Hollywood Brown – defenses will give him a lot of cushion.  For the Ravens, character aside, he is best utilized in the slot – and that’s the issue again. But there are lots of ways to get this guy the ball.  Team him up with Hollywood (albeit without the big-bodied guy) and I don’t know how defenses will survive.  RD: Late 1-2.

Jaylen Waddle – 5’9, 180 – Played with Jaylen Smith at Alabama.  A smaller, lighter player than Smith, he is also a special athlete, with great hips, a low center of gravity, and all gears.  So fast.  He can stack corners vertically and cuts off CBs to win over the top.  Very fast out of his breaks with late explosiveness.  Regularly makes the first man miss.  Over half of his yards were after the catch.  Great competitor and popular among his teammates.  Very instinctive.  Has won the 50-50 ball fairly regularly.  Of course, he is very small and has a few focus drops.  Still developing his route running skills.  But impossible to stay with on crossing routes.  Not powerful enough to be a consistent tackle-breaker.    Won’t give you much as a blocker.    Had a season-ending ankle fracture that required surgery, so medicals are an issue.  Great athlete.  Tyreek Hill-type, but without the power.  He will be hard to press because he’s just so fluid and quick-hipped.  He can work all three levels of the field.  Teaming his speed with Hollywood Brown, notwithstanding his size, would make it impossible on defenses.  RD: 1

Tylan Wallace – 6’ 194.  Wallace has played primarily outside at Oklahoma State.  He was very productive, particularly downfield.  He’s explosive off the line but was very much a vertical route runner in college.  A big leaper, he was outstanding on jump balls.  Wallace had some difficulty with physical corners.  Tore his ACL in 2019 but came back strongly last year.  Some think he should move to the slot.  He is very tough.  Very strong hands.  Will catch through contact.  He has a thin frame and may have challenges with press coverage.  He may be suited more for the slot.  For the Ravens, he is not the big-bodied receiver they may be looking for, and with Brown and Duvernay, he probably doesn’t add a complementary skill set.  But he’s a solid prospect.  RD: 3-4

Austin Watkins – 6’1 209.  Watkins is a big-bodied receiver who may have the best hands in the draft (two drops on 101 targets).  He is strong on contested balls and is solid after the catch.  He has reasonable straight-line speed but lacks that second gear needed to be a home-run threat, which he wasn’t in college.  Route running was improved but needs to improve more.  Physical at the top of the route.  Good finding soft spots in zones.  Strong hands.  Good at setting up routes.  Not a spectacular athlete and not particularly good at stop-start (slant-go’s not his thing).  For the Ravens, he has the necessary traits of a big-bodied guy but is not a field-stretcher opposite Hollywood.  Lower in the draft, maybe.  RD: 6

Not Interested:

1. Nico Collins
2. Damonte Coxie
3. Frank Darby
4. D’Wayne Eskridge
5. Warren Jackson
6. Cornell Powell
7. Anthony Schwartz – Fastest guy but too many faults.
8. Shi Smith
9. Ihmi Smith-Marsette – Another pure burner, has some traits.
10. Amon-Ra St. Brown – Probably the highest rated receiver that I don’t like, especially for the Ravens. Another of many slot candidates.
11. KJ Stepherson – Off-field issues.
12. Marquez Stevenson
13. Sage Surratt – Just too slow.
14. Tamorrion Terry – high upside prospect but boom or bust. And, drops too many.
15. Seth Williams – Just too many drops. Big-bodied but not great YAC.

Tight End

Pitts is the head and shoulder ace here who will never be available for the Ravens.  The bulk of the class is very thin.

Pat Freiermuth – 6’5 251 – He is a very competitive, athletic player who has proven to be dependable.  Some have compared him to Gronk but he has not been that caliber of blocker to date, though he certainly has the body for it so there is upside there.  He should be seen as a receiving tight end at this point and an excellent one at that.  Though he is not explosive and won’t force too many missed tackles, he is an excellent route-runner who is very physical with very good hands.  He has had a bit of an injury history.  Has good build-up speed and can attack down the seam at the second level.  Not a great separator underneath.  Tough and fearless.  Freiermuth should appeal to the Ravens.  RD: 2

Brevin Jordan – 6’2 247 – Jordan is not a great in-line blocker which is a real problem in the Ravens scheme.  He has average play strength.  He gives effort, but just hasn’t been strong enough.  There is room for technique improvement, and he gives effort.  As a receiver he’s been a chain mover and more.  He is a fluid athlete and is quick into his routes.  Good speed transitions well and is excellent after the catch and physical to boot.  He has strong ball skills and could threaten the entire field.  Given the weakness of the tight end position in this draft, Jordan should be considered, especially if the Ravens believe they can coach up his blocking.  RD: 3.

Hunter Long – 6’5 254 – Long is a solid but not spectacular tight end.  He has typical TE ball skills and runs all the routes though he’s not great at any particular one.  He is not sudden and is not a dangerous receiver.  Not a special athlete.  Very good hands and a sound route runner.  He’s a versatile, but merely a functional blocker.  Long could further develop across the board but his ceiling is limited by his athleticism.  I view him as a modest prospect for the Ravens as he’s solid but not spectacular and must improve his blocking.  RD: 4-5.

Tommy Tremble – 6’3 241 – Tremble was not asked to do much as a pass catcher at Notre Dame, which makes his grade difficult.  He’s a projection at this point.  He has real speed and explosiveness for the position but has so far shown a propensity for drops.  Notwithstanding his size, he’s been an excellent blocker all across the formations.  He must improve as a route runner, but he’s shown athleticism to beat underneath defenders.  He is generally seen as an ascending talent but he is a project in that sense.  He’s likely too much of a project given that he may well go higher than where I rate him, and without more draft capital I think he’s too much of a reach for the Ravens.  RD: 4-5.

Guard

Deonte Brown – 6’3, 345 – A massive man who didn’t allow a sack the last three seasons.  Has excellent power and a great anchor.  Provides push in the run game.  Tough attitude.  First-step quickness will present some challenges for him in the NFL, and he must improve mentally.  There are off-field questions, as he had a six-game suspension for violating team rules.  Recovery quickness is a concern, and his flexibility is a bit suspect.  But he is a mauler.  Given the Ravens pulling schemes, I question whether this type of massive man is much of a fit.  He’s a better fit arguably in a different scheme.  RD: 4

Brady Christensen – 6’6, 300.  A 23-year-old left tackle at BYU, he is better suited at right tackle or guard in the NFL.  But he’s not an easy projection at guard as he is a bit limited athletically.  I don’t see the Ravens taking him on as a convert project, particularly since other teams will grade him as a tackle where he grades reasonably well and will probably come off the board in the 2^nd/3^rd round.

Ben Cleveland – 6’6, 354 – Another massive man who did not give up a sack in his career, his flaws may be fatal in the Ravens pulling scheme.  Unsurprisingly, he has trouble on the move as he is just not fluid, and NFL guys will likely blow past him.  His feet are slow on the move too.  I think his height is problematic too and suspect that tackles will get up under his pads.  Just don’t see him as a Raven, and that’s before considering some academic issues.  RD: 4.

Wyatt Davis – 6’4, 315 – Davis is a classic mauler with a bit more.  He is at his best with inside zone where he can use his power to push and uproot at the point of attack.  He is less suited for schemes that focus on outside zone concepts where his occasional lunging and footwork impede his ability to sustain blocks and leaves him on the ground a bit too much.  But he has the physical tools.  He is quick out of his stance and has immediate stopping power, burying people.  His hands are very physical.  Needs to improve his consistency.  Has a powerful anchor.  He ended the season with a knee injury.  He played exclusively at right guard at Ohio State.  In all, a very solid prospect and starter, though he may have peaked out last year.  RD: 2-3.

David Moore – 6’1, 330 – Moore played at Grambling.  Although he is short, he has a massive wingspan and good length.  He has very good foot quickness with an explosive punch and ability to maintain spacing at contact.  His hands are very powerful.  Very aggressive.  Able to stay balanced in space and has the mobility to get to the second level.  Well suited for a power game and should be adequate as a puller.  Not as well suited in a zone scheme.  Unsurprisingly, he needs technical refinement, with work needed on his body angles, timing and reset mechanics.  Stunt awareness needs work.  No senior season.  Showed very well at the Senior Bowl.  With the proper coaching, Moore has a very good upside.  Likely not a Day-1 starter but has starter traits.  RD: 4

Trey Smith – 6’5, 321 – The problem with Smith starts with his medicals – he has battled blood clots in the lungs, which probably takes him off a bunch of boards.  He has great pop on contact and is a real masher.  But his awareness is poor and he has heavy feet.  He can also get very sloppy.  He has excellent hands and a great base.  I don’t really see him in a zone scheme.  In all, there are just too many red flags for me, and he wouldn’t be on my board; I’d be surprised if he was on the Ravens.  RD: 4

Alijah Vera-Tucker – 6’4, 308 – Vera-Tucker played left tackle this year for USC and showed he can do it successfully.  But he’s ideally suited as a left guard in the NFL.  He is a balanced and agile blocker, sets his feet to mirror and stay square.  He has very physical hands and a good strike.  He brings functional strength and is able to generate some real surge and movement in the run game.  He’s a quick processor.  Smooth puller and gets to the second level.  He brings Pro-Bowl type talent to the guard position.  Some teams will see him as a tackle (though he was handled at left tackle by the one NFL talent he played against this year).  If they don’t, I’d expect him to be the first guard off the board.  A clear fit for the Ravens.  RD: 1

Alex Leatherwood – 6’5, 312 – A left tackle at Alabama, at that position he showed phone-booth skills, forklifting opponents.  He is not a high-end athlete.  He has very long arms and a stout lower half, though he is a little stiff there.  He can definitely push the line but has not been a mauler.  He engulfs people and is pro-ready as a pass protector.  But, he plays with a very high base, leaving some doubt about his ability to recover and, hence, to play left tackle.  He could be more aggressive and probably needs to be, with coaching.  I see him as better suited at guard (he played right guard as a sophomore).  He can fit in any run style.  RD: 2

Jalen Mayfield – 6’5, 326.  Having played right tackle at Michigan and done it very well, he seems more suited to play guard in the NFL.  He lacks ideal length as a tackle and would likely have trouble in pass protect against long-armed bull rushers.  Plus, he’s not great at the top of the arc against quickness.  Has good core strength and is a driver in the run game.  Has physical hands and will collapse down the line.  Gets to the second level.  Has a mean streak and very hard working.  The Ravens will obviously have insight on Mayfield given the Harbaugh connection, but that hasn’t brought them quality so far.  There is an injury history.  He did not test well athletically, which was a bit surprising and could also be a red flag.  He needs to improve his strength.  He’s another guy that I rate lower than others.  To me, a guard candidate mostly.  RD: 3.

Jaylon Moore – 6’4, 311 – A left tackle from Western Michigan, I see him as better suited for guard in the NFL.  He lacks ideal length as a tackle as he struggled against long-armed rushers.  He has huge hands and has been able to get movement at the line but is not as overpowering as you’d like.  But he digs in and can’t recover.  He is more efficient on the move and can handle stretch runs and get to the next level.  Probably best suited for a zone running scheme.  I see him as a marginal candidate for the Ravens at guard.  RD: 5

Don’t Like: Jackson Carman – Must move from tackle to guard and I’m not sold he can do it.

Center

Landon Dickerson – 6’6, 326.  Very tall for a center, he gave up only one sack, four hits, and eight hurries over the last two- and one-half seasons.  He’s a natural leader.  Tore his ACL in the SEC title game yet played in the National Championship game.  Now that’s a tough competitor.  He was scheme-diverse in college notwithstanding his massive frame.  He is built like a rock and had more pancakes than anyone in the country last year.  Easily works to the second level.  He’s smart and nasty.  He moves with balanced footwork and handles gap penetrators.  He’s a mauler who occasionally lacks discipline.  His hands are rocks.  He is not a particularly outstanding athlete.  He is best suited at center in my view as he rarely plays outside of the B gap so far and his range may be a bit limited – this is why I see him as a center in the Ravens scheme; not the perfect pulling candidate at guard.  This guy figures to be a long-time starter with Pro Bowl potential.  His medical evaluation is critical and may keep him off some boards up high as there is a large red flag here – he endured two ankle surgeries, a torn right ACL and ligament damage to his left knee.  He is an excellent fit for the Ravens if the medical evaluation is good, and a possible candidate to be taken with their first pick, but I am guessing that his medicals push him down their board.  RD: 2

Creed Humphrey – 6’4, 302.  His evaluation is a bit disappointing given the Ravens’ obvious need at center and the sense that he could be a first round call for them.  I don’t see him worthy of that pick.  Humphrey is a solid if not very good player, but he did struggle some against NFL-quality nose tackles.  Though he’s not shown to be a particularly impressive athlete, he did test very well.  But he has not shown to be adept playing in space.  Though his pass protection raw numbers were outstanding, they are a bit misleading given that Oklahoma so often played against three-man rushes. He does have excellent hands, is powerful (though that hasn’t always transferred in the run game) and has a mean streak.  His foot quickness is adequate.  He is a leader and has a high football IQ.  Unlike Dickerson, he has been injury free.  Needs improvement as a puller and at the second level.  He’s certainly starter-potential, but I have questions about his ceiling.  RD: 2-3.

Drake Jackson – 6’2, 290.  This guy is strictly a center, so his lack of versatility is immediately an issue for the Ravens.  With that said, he is really a zone-centric player.  Ideally, a center for the Ravens should be scheme-flexible, as the Ravens run a lot of zone and power.  This makes Jackson less than the perfect fit.  He is short-area mobile and smart.  He is a reasonably well-rounded player who lacks lower-body strength.  But he is a bit suspect against length and power.  RD: 5

Quinn Meinerz – 6’3, 320.  Coming from a very small school, Meinerz had a blow-away Senior Bowl week.  He drove off the line with leverage and explosiveness and, according to some, wat the most impressive offensive lineman there, putting multiple defensive linemen on the turf.  Having never played against high-level competition, it was a tremendous performance.  His straight-line explosiveness was elite as he comes off the line very powerful.  He certainly has the strength and power to play against NFL nose tackles.  But his weakness is lack of agility as mirroring on the move could be an issue.  Unsurprisingly, needs coaching-up on technique.  His workout was sensational (three-cone 92^nd percentile; 40-yard dash 100^th percentile, 10-yard split 90^th percentile, shuttle 84^th percentile, vertical jump 89^th percentile, broad jump 90^th percentile).  He has big hands and long-enough arms.  But his movements were a bit sloppy and top heavy.  For him, the question was the low-level of competition, but he seemed to answer that.  He transformed himself with his own work ethic.  He’s a bulldog and top finisher.  He has a lot of upside.  Is he an immediate starter?  Now, where is he on the board?  RD: 2.

Not Interested:

1. Kendrick Green
2. Josh Myers – pass protect issues.

Tackles

Not Reviewed: Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater, who will never be there.

Samuel Cosmi – 6’6, 314 – He lacks overwhelming size and power traits but has strong hands to cover his issues with edge rushers and in the run game.  He is quick and urgent in pass protection, but not fluid.  He lacks elite arm length.  He’s an outstanding athlete, testing very high in all drills.  A lot of experience in pass protection at left tackle the last two years.  He can be late out of his stance and can play high in pass protect.  He would do well to put on 15 pounds of muscle given his long frame.  He gets to the second level in run blocking, but his play strength is average at best so there’s not tremendous push at the first level.  Unsurprisingly, he can play high allowing people to get under him.  He fits well in a zone scheme.  I rate him lower than most and would not seek him as an Orlando Brown replacement.  RD: 3.

Christian Darrisaw – 6’4, 322 – He has all the tools and had a fabulous 2020.  He was outstanding as a run blocker and did well as a puller.  He gets to the second level.  Although he gave up no sacks, Virginia Tech was so run-heavy that he wasn’t asked to pass block on an island too often.  He has excellent feet.  Has powerful hands and locks on, stopping rushers in their tracks.  But when his hands aren’t accurate, he gives up ground.  He’s patient in his pass sets.  He’s not the toughest guy in that he will not always fight through the whistle and will slack into cruise control, and he’s shown a weakness of playing down to his competition.  He’s not elite laterally.  He’s introverted but a hard worker.  He needs to be a more consistent finisher.  Darrisaw is an excellent athlete and relies on it a bit too much over technique.  He has the upside to be a franchise left tackle.  RD: 1

Liam Eichenberg – 6’6, 306 – A left tackle at Notre Dame who gave up no sacks over the last two years, I see him moving to the right side.  Part of the issue with Eichenberg is his hands, as he uses a two-handed punch which is problematic; if you miss, you’re dead.  And that punch isn’t always crisp and is too easy to time.  As a result, he plays more short-armed than his physical dimensions suggest (and his arms are short in any event).  He has some difficulty with speed rushers.  He is powerful as a run blocker, but his pulling capability is a bit suspect.  He’s just an average athlete.  For the Ravens, I could see him on the inside at left guard where his pass protection shortcomings are masked and where he could make a real impact in the run game.  I grade him lower than most and for us, wouldn’t take him.  RD: 3

James Hudson – 6’4, 313 – A classic developmental tackle with intriguing traits.  He is very quick out of his stance with balance.  He mirrors well and stays under control in space.  Has huge hands and is a tight puncher.  He bursts into his run fits and has been a talented run blocker.  Physical.  His knee bend is inconsistent, and he has trouble with speed rushers and can leave his edge vulnerable.  Not technically sound coming out of Cincinnati.  His angles are inconsistent.  Bad habits that need correcting.  He has a good blend of power and mobility to go with aggressiveness.  If he can be developed right, he has a good upside.  He could excel in a zone running scheme given his lateral quickness.  Don’t think he will last past the third round.  RD: 3

Tevin Jenkins – 6’6, 317 – A powerful blocker with strong hands and upper body strength.  Although his numbers in college were excellent, he didn’t play against top edge talent and frequently faced a lot of three-man rushes.  He has short arms.  He could be more consistent and needs technical improvement against edge speed.  He’s competitive and light on his feet.  He uses his power to explode into players.  He’s very aggressive.  Has enough mobility to play in space.  High IQ player.  A bull in the run game.  Seen as a first-round talent, he might thrive more at guard, as there are questions in pass protect.  Will likely go off the board in round 1, though I don’t see him as one of the top three tackles.  For the Ravens, he could swing either inside or outside.  RD: 1

Walker Little – 6’7, 313 – Very hard to evaluate Little, as he opted out last year and injury cost him all but one game of the 2019 season, so he really hasn’t been on the field in two years.  There is no way to evaluate where he is at this point.  But he made a real impact as a freshman (Pac-12 freshman co-offensive player of the year) and as a sophomore (first team All-Pac-12).  Medicals are an issue for Little (knee).  There were questions about his core strength.  He was athletic as a run blocker and can do short pulls.  He had smooth pass sets and was quick enough to handle speed rushers at the top of the arc.  For me, there’s too much uncertainty with Little, and I suspect the Ravens will avoid him.  RD: 2-3

Dillon Radunz – 6’5, 301 – From North Dakota State, he is very light for his size.  He plays a little overaggressive, leading to obvious concerns.  He is nasty and can mirror.  Light on his feet (as he should be) he has been solid in pass protect with fluid moves and reasonable recovery ability.  Can adjust on the fly and is very aware.  But his lean frame is an issue in the run game as there are issues regarding his core strength.  Showed very well at the Senior Bowl workouts.  He has been inconsistent which, for me, is always a concern.  He is a polarizing prospect.  Another player that I don’t rate as high as others, I just don’t see where he offers anything special and not sure he’s any kind of fit for the Ravens.  He could wind up on the inside.  RD: 3-4.

D’Ante Smith – 6’5, 305 – Out of East Carolina, he has a massive wingspan.  He moves with balance and is very light-footed.  Very agile.  Those long arms are a real benefit in disrupting rushers.  He has been able to seal in the run game.  He plays with an edge.  Very coachable.  He’s light and needs work in the weight room to add strength.  Smith has a lot of talent that needs to be coached up.  He has an injury history (right knee scope in 2020) and missed a lot of last year, so there are medical concerns.  However, he was outstanding at the Senior Bowl and is an ascending player.  He has the tools to handle both power and speed.  But he is clearly a developmental player with a lot of work to do.  Smith is a developmental player.  RD: 5

Not Interested:

1. Tommy Doyle
2. Stone Forsythe
3. Robert Hainsey (probably a guard/center)
4. Alaric Jackson
5. Brenden Jaimes
6. Robert Jones

Running Back

I did not look at players who I thought would grade out higher than the fourth round.  This leaves off backs such as Javonte Williams (second round talent) and Michael Carter, who I like and would be interested in at fourth and below though I don’t think he’ll be there, if only because it is a weak group overall.  In fact, this is the worst group I’ve evaluated.

Demtric Felton – 5’9, 189 – Felton is a swiss-army knife player.  He can line up in the slot (where he’s been a receiver) or in the backfield.  He’s very quick though not necessarily explosive.  At the Senior Bowl he showed improved route running and competed well against press.  He was a full-time RB this year.  Versatility is his game.  RD: 5.

Kenneth Gainwell – 5’11, 195 – Now he’s likely to go by the end of the third, but if not I’d be very interested.  He looks like a slot receiver and gets open like it too; excellent route-runner and excellent hands.  Extraordinarily agile and very tough for linebackers to handle.  Pass protection at his size could be a problem.  But his speed is not top end though he ran a 4.47 in his workouts.  He runs tough but he’s not powerful as limited by his size.  He has obvious limitations, but in a committee backfield like the Ravens, issues such as durability will diminish.  He’s an instinctive playmaker and clearly a dual threat.  RD: 3-4.

Khalil Herbert – 5’9, 210 – He left Kansas midseason 2019 (unknown reasons) and played at Virginia Tech in 2020 where he was sensational.  Runs low and physical with excellent athleticism.  He presses the hole before making strong cuts but sometimes is inpatient with his blockers.  Excellent in the open field.  He’s a good but not great athlete.  A little too much east-west stuff.  No real experience as a pass blocker or as a receiver.  Soft tissue injury history.  Creates yards for himself and great candidate for a zone scheme.  Tight hipped, he’s not a pure one-cut runner.  It’s all about his vision and speed to the corner, as he likes to take it outside.  For the Ravens, he’s a marginal prospect.  RD: 5-6

Rhamondre Stevenson – 5’11, 231 – This guy has the body for the NFL.  He has very smooth footwork which helps him cut and accelerate.  As a big back, he runs with the balance of a smaller one.  Very thickly built and rare cutting ability for his size.  Tough to bring down but hasn’t been a pile-driver to date.  Needs to lower his shoulder more.  Not a burner and not particularly explosive, but he is nimble enough in short areas to make people miss.  Is a patient runner behind his blockers.  Soft hands, but not asked to do much in the receiving game.  Averaged 7.2 yards in his career but only had 165 carries, which is a bit surprising.  Needs work in pass protection.  Clearly a downhill guy, but a very good one at that; a Gus Edwards type.  RD: 5

Don’t Like:

1. Jaret Patterson – Not fast enough
2. Trey Sermon

DEFENSE

Edge Defenders

Several high-end prospects don’t fit the Ravens 3-4 scheme.  They are:

1. Carlos Basham – at 6’3 275, he’s a 4-3 DE.
2. Patrick Jones – 6’4, 261 – mid-round prospect, 4-3 DE.
3. Dayo Odeyingbo – 6’5, 285 – mid-round prospect, best in a 4-3.

Patrick Johnson – 6’2, 240 – Plays with the physicality of a much bigger man.  Has outstanding hands, with quick reaction that comes easily.  He rushes with a plan.  He’s not stiff.  He’s outstanding in chase and will never quit.  A very hard worker.  He is a tweener size-wise.  Is not sudden off the edge and has ordinary bend and speed when running up the arc, but he has a variety of ways to get home.  He’s physical at the point of attack but needs to anchor better.  As a run defender he processes quickly.  He can also drop into zone coverage.  Although some of his physical traits are average, his speed, three-cone and jumping metrics were excellent (ran a 4.59) though he doesn’t always play up to them.  Versatile, intelligent with functional strength.  Coming from Tulane he is making a big jump in class.  Fits into a 3-4 scheme.  He’s worth a good look lower in the draft.  RD: 5-6

Azeez Ojulari – 6’2, 249 – A smallish edge defender but seen as a very advanced pass rusher.  He had 35 pressures this year in the SEC against some great tackles.  Classic bend the edge speed rusher with explosion.  After watching two complete game tapes (Alabama and Auburn), it’s clear that Ojulari has mastered, and entirely relies on, one move: bend, extend and punch with his long arms to the chest, swipe or swat with the outside hand.  He’s very good at it and gets very good leverage with power and then explosion.  Now, someone taught him that, but I didn’t see much more.  And if he gets stalled out, he doesn’t counter – he just continues on.  In theory, he should be able to master much more, and that’s what one is betting on.  He needs more polish.  He showed little presence as an edge setter.  Occasionally holds the point of attack but not always as he doesn’t particularly anchor well.  He is not a power guy.  Ojulari is very aggressive.  Shoved around when linemen can engage him, but also has shown the ability to stop pulling guards cold.  Numerous comparisons to Ngakoue, which seem apropos.  He has violent hands.  Unclear as to how he could hold up in coverage but in the two games I watched he was never asked to play man and dropped (loosely) in to zone on occasion (where he seemed relatively lost).  It’s all about the pass rush for him, and he has a very high ceiling in that regard.  If he is available where the Ravens draft, notwithstanding his high upside rush skills, he’s not a great fit given what the Ravens generally demand from their edge guys.  RD: 1.

Joseph Ossai – 6’4, 256 – Ossai is a converted inside linebacker and is still in the learning process as a pass rusher.  Nevertheless, he was fairly productive this season at Texas, having three-plus pressures in seven of the nine games he played in.  He has easy movement skills and is a natural athlete.  Ossai plays every down and is relentless in pursuit; has a very hot motor.  His coaches call his effort “phenomenal.”  He has very good flexibility and bend and wins with leverage.  He is not particularly explosive for his size and is not a speed rush guy, but he is quick off the snap and has excellent acceleration as well as being extremely fast.  So far, his pass rush production has been largely through effort.  He lacks elite bend and is a bit stiff in the hips, causing him to lack fluidity in his redirect.  He needs to be coached-up in technique as a rusher, as he relies too much on play speed versus having a plan.  Falls off tackles too much.  Ossai needs to add strength as his game is currently more finesse.  He can struggle getting off blocks.  There are questions as to whether he can cover tight ends and running backs, where he is still raw.  But he is an ascending player who is far from a finished product and, if he can be coached up, has a pretty good ceiling.  He is best seen as a physical 3-4 edge guy who, so far, will not dominate with skill in the pass rush game but will chase everywhere.  He’s a typical Ravens-type.  RD: 2-3.

Jayson Oweh – 6’5, 257 – This guy has it all physically.  He has length and room to build out his body further and needs to add strength to his core and lower body to stack up tackles.  But he is strong.  He was very good against the run (he locates the ball well) and has excellent pass rushing gifts.  Yet, I watched two complete game tapes (Michigan and Ohio State) and was disappointed in his pass rush set.  He doesn’t really have a plan.  Just bulls forward and I did not see him really win.  His lack of bend and upright play caused him to lose out on plays he should have finished.  He was less explosive with his first step than I expected, particularly given his phenomenal raw athletic traits.  He has limited experience as a redshirted sophomore, being a one-year starter at Penn State and thus having only eight career starts.  He had zero sacks over seven games last year, though he was disruptive.  He has elite speed and acceleration.  Chases running backs down from behind.  His agility does not match his straight-line speed.  Very definitely still learning as a rusher and thus a work in progress.  He is a tremendous athlete – workout numbers were off the charts across the board (other than in the bench press).  But his instincts are a bit lacking, and he needs more development to reach his very high ceiling.  His rush plan was undeveloped as was his ability to counter.  He gives up the edge a bit too much.  Oweh is a real example of a guy that, in this Covid year, is hard to accurately project off of only eight games.  I really needed to see a lot more tape.  Is he a bit of boom-or-bust?  Perhaps.  This is not a guy one would expect to be a major starter this year – there’s a lot to do.  But he has Pro-Bowl athletic talents so his ceiling is high, and he will be drafted very high.  But his skill set has not yet converted to full production on the field.  RD: 1

Kwity Paye – 6’2, 261 – A Michigan guy.  Paye has real inside-outside flexibility.  He is powerful and moves the line in the run game.  This guy is built tough.  Natural bull-rusher.  Improving every year.  Hasn’t shown too much by way of pass rushing moves and needs more sophistication.  Lacks counters or combos, for example.  However, he lined up mostly inside the tackle and hence wasn’t in a true edge position.    Nevertheless, he is undeveloped as a rusher and in that sense played below his gifts.  He has excellent lower body fluidity and twitch.  He has very strong hands and is very competitive with a big motor.  Athletically, he’s amazing; very explosive.  In the run game he sets a physical edge.  This guy was in the 96^th percentile in bench press, and 97^th percentile in the 40, for example.  He should be scheme flexible.  He wasn’t asked to drop back and cover.  He is probably best as a 4-3 DE and not a perfect fit for the Ravens.  RD: 1

Ronnie Perkins – 6’2, 253 – To start off, he failed a drug test in 2020 and was suspended for six games.  He needs to further develop his variety of moves and his rush plan.  Speed to power moves stall sometimes.  Solidly built, but actually lost weight in college.  Has strong hands and a strong long-arm technique.  Quick off the ball.  Has good lateral agility.  Should be able to drop into coverage as he has good feet.  Was a defensive leader and a strong run defender but he has also been very undisciplined with chasing pullers or running backs on zone-read plays.  He’s an average athlete with questionable quickness but with a strong motor.  I think he’s a bit iffy for a second-round grade, as many give him, and he’s not the perfect prospect for the Ravens.  RD: 3

Jaelan Phillips – 6’5, 260 – After being hit by a car and suffering head injuries in 2018, he retired after suffering a second concussion (UCLA doctors would not clear him to play); he’s had a total of three.  He came back in 2020 after transferring to Miami and was great over the second half of the year, getting nine sacks and 36 pressures in the last seven games.  He has tremendous power and blows through contact.  He dominated guards on the inside.  He sometimes stands up a bit too much in pass rush and he shows his hand as well.  Very twitchy athlete who is smooth in attacking up field.  Stays locked on the ball and he is very productive in both the run and pass.  He is not always sudden but has good first-step quickness.  His inside and spin are seen by some as a bit predictable, but the spin is reasonable.  After watching tape (against Virginia Tech and NC State) I think he definitely has a rush plan, and he can (and has) won in numerous ways.  He uses his outside hand very well to get immediate advantage.  He uses his feet well to set up blockers, challenging them both inside and outside.  He’s shown a very strong swim move.  He has a good bull rush.  He can get sloppy in his technique and relies on effort.  Music is his first passion.  Very good read-react skills and has a lot of energy.  He needs more patience playing the run, occasionally just running up field too much; but this is coachable.  He will run down the line against the run.  He needs more consistency in this aspect of the game but the skills are there as he has the strength to shed.  A playmaker against the run and the pass.  Excellent blend of length, power, and size.  He is very versatile and can play with his hand in the dirt or upright in space.  Was not asked to drop into coverage on any tape I saw, nor was he tasked to handle a running back out of the backfield.  A little more play strength would help in holding the edge.  Very versatile and can play stand up in space.  Medicals are the key here.  RD: 1

Janarius Robinson – 6’5, 266 – The Florida State coaching staff failed to coach up a bunch of talented players this year.  But Robinson improved, and is an improving, intriguing prospect who can play the five-technique (lining up outside the tackle) in a 3-4.  His production was modest, so one is projecting his skills and he may turn out to be a better NFL player than in college.  He has had exciting flashes.  He has long arms and heavy hands, and his stocky build is perfect for a 3-4 edge player.  Has a massive wingspan (96^th percentile).  Powerful against the run with very good play strength.  Has tools to be a good pass rusher but needs coaching up.  In pass rush, he has shown good variety and flexibility with good hand placement.  Agile with rare length, has all of the physical tools.  For him, is he willing to put in the work and play with the necessary motor, questions that perhaps interviews can answer but I can’t.  Is he the type of guy who can be coached up?  If so, certainly a candidate for the Ravens.  RD: 5-6.

Gregory Rousseau – 6’7, 266 – A rising sophomore, Rousseau has only one year under his belt (546 total snaps) as he didn’t play last year (and he was a wide receiver and safety in high school).  Though he had huge pass rush numbers in 2019, a lot of that came inside against guards where he was deadly, but he had much more middling numbers rushing from the outside.  This raises real doubts as to real rush numbers he can put up in the NFL.  He needs lots of improvement to be an NFL edge defender.  He’s athletically built and has great bend for a guy his size.  He has the ability to rip under linemen.  He didn’t show a lot of counter ability.  His power game was lacking, and functional strength is a concern.  His workout numbers were disappointingly poor.  He’s very young (barely 21).  Note that in his playing year he was only 245 pounds, so we don’t know how that extra 20 pounds of weight/muscle translates at this point.    Quick to get up field with long strides; reliant on his speed and length and needs to improve his technique and anchoring ability.  His body movement is smooth.  Has active hands but needs better technique.  Uses his super long length well.  Didn’t regularly convert speed to power and was a bit upright as a rusher.  Smart player.  Rousseau is a boom-bust candidate, with scant game play so far, but his traits and projection will likely push him into the first round.  I generally don’t like these boom-bust types and find it a big risk of draft capital to take one in the first round.  Actually, I hope he goes before the Ravens so as to push others down the board.  If he slips to the Ravens, I wouldn’t take him.  See no evidence that he could drop into coverage as he wasn’t asked to and project him as a 4-3 DE.  RD: 2

Cameron Sample – 6’3, 267 – Sample improved every year at Tulane.  He plays with great leverage, getting underneath pads frequently.  Has a great pass rushing punch and is explosive on contact.  He has played inside and outside, showing versatility.  Was outstanding at the Senior Bowl practices, earning the highest one-on-one grades, which may be more informative than his work at Tulane where he was often the dominant player on the field against low level competition.  So far, he’s a bull-rush specialist but can’t just rely on that in the NFL.  His workout metrics were below average across the board and he’s not particularly gifted athletically.  He’s a high energy/effort guy who fights to the end.  Needs to improve at the top of his rush.  Likely projects better as an interior rusher, where he could use a bit more bulk.  Although he did play some in a stand-up role, his better fit is probably as a 4-3 DE.  He’s been a stout run defender.  I see Sample as a tougher fit or the Ravens, and you’d have to be convinced that you could add to his skillset to see him in a 3-4.  RD: 5

Elerson Smith – 6’6, 252 – Out of Northern Iowa, Smith is tall with a large wingspan, but lacks what you are looking for in muscle mass, particularly in the lower part of his body, raising questions about his ability to hold the edge and, hence, defend the run.  Unsurprisingly, he has struggled to play through contact with only functional strength that is just average; he lacks the anchor strength one is looking for.  Yet, he has been a fighter and grappler at the attack point and doesn’t quit.  Smith is an excellent athlete (his workout metrics were exceptional, and he performed in the 80^th percentile in the bench press).  Smith has good agility as a pass rusher and his length is definitely an asset.  He has good open field speed and plays hard.  He put on over 50 pounds during college although he is still lean, but he is quick off the edge and flexible.  He performed well at the Senior Bowl in one-on-ones with one of the higher win rates.  This is a potentially important indicator as Smith opted out in 2020, and a strong Senior Bowl showing indicates that his arc is still up.  At this point, Smith is a situational pass rusher who needs to add some power to his game.  He is worthy of consideration.  RD: 4-5

Jordan Smith – 6’6, 255 – Out of UAB, Smith had previously been at Florida where he was suspended (charged on multiple felonies in 2017 for using a stolen credit card to pay rent and for school supplies – pled no contest to third degree felony and received two years’ probation), so character is a large concern.  Smith is still growing into his very long frame.  He’s an explosive player who has natural flexibility to win on the corner and shed blockers.  He plays a bit too tall and stiff creating issues for him with power punchers.  He needs to add strength and hand technique.  Needs to improve his speed-to-power skillset.  He is experienced in dropping into space and in covering zones.  Coaches say he grew into a team leadership role, suggesting some maturation.  Smith has upside as a pass rusher.   His blend of attributes makes him appealing, but he is raw in deploying rush moves and needs work processing info.  His workout metrics were horrible.  A developmental project.  His tape in the Miami and Rice games were not impressive; poor and slow reads and played high and stiff.  If character checks out, a potential fit for the Ravens but I doubt it.  RD: 5

Joe Tryon – 6’5, 259 – Tryon sat out last year leaving us with freshman/sophomore tape, which I watched a lot of.  He is an attacker and strikes through his target.  Attacks blockers with abandon.  Great bull rusher and would greatly improve his repertoire if he could get a little more bend from his hips.  Explosive with burst to the QB.  Effective penetrating on stunts.  Has an excellent swim move.  He frequently wins on his first move but when he stalls out, he is lacking a secondary move; he doesn’t have a plan.  Has real power in his hands and can swat away opponents.  No spin move.  Needs to avoid letting linemen ride him beyond the QB.  Very fast and will chase plays away from him.  Very competitive and coachable with high praise from his position coach.  He rushes from both up and down sets equally well.  He’s loose hipped and has real fluidity on his feet.  He’s comfortable dropping into coverage.  Excellent traits for the edge.  He’s a perfect edge 3-4 prospect.  With good coaching he could have elite upside.  The lost year makes his projection a little more difficult as we can’t see what type of progress he has made.  He clearly needs more sophistication in his rush approach, which is all about coaching, but all the traits are there.  Made several impressive plays against Penei Sewell, the consensus best tackle in the draft.  Tryon might wind up being the best edge player in this draft.  I like him a lot.  RD: 1-2

Payton Turner – 6’6, 268 – Playing against lesser competition at Houston, Turner had a four-game burst this year that was great, but a big leap from the past.  Has an excellent combination of size, length and bend.  Huge wingspan and massive hands.  His hands are real weapons.  Excellent bull rusher.  Better than average pursuit speed.  Phenomenal workout metrics in the three-cone and shuttle (99th and 94^th percentiles, respectively).  Has deadly rips to the edge.  Turner has inside/outside versatility.  His best play has been against lesser players.  Staying low has been a concern.  He has excellent foot quickness and brings a lot of energy.  He rushes with a tall pad level which needs to be corrected.  Hard for him to get underneath blockers, unsurprisingly.  Needs to further develop his counter rush ability.  Needs polish as a rusher.  Has had multiple injury issues so medicals are an issue.  Was a senior captain, and Ravens love captain-types.  He may be best-suited as a 4-3 DE, which is of course the issue for the Ravens.  In 3-4, it’s hard to see him dropping back into coverage, so I see him as more one-dimensional, like Jaylon Ferguson.  Turner is an excellent prospect who may not be a scheme fit.  RD: 2

Don’t Like:

1. Quincy Roche
2. Chris Rumph
3. Rashad Weaver

Inside Linebacker

I do not expect the Ravens to draft any inside linebackers.  With that said, I took a look for someone who might be a diamond in the rough but did not find anyone I think the Ravens should use draft capital to secure.  Top rated linebackers were not reviewed, and I love a player like Zaven Collins, but I just don’t see how the Ravens would spend high draft capital on the position.

Interior Defensive Line

Christian Barmore – 6’4, 310 – Relatively inexperienced for a guy who will go high, he has great strength and explosiveness (first step).  Brings a lot of energy.  Shows power to push people backwards.  Can stack the point of attack and get into the backfield to make plays.  Can swim or cross the face of blockers and win in the gaps.  Uses both hands to club and has very strong hands overall.  Has burst to close.  Can play all along the line, so there is position versatility.  Got better as the season went on, playing his best ball in the playoffs.  Some conditioning questions.  A bit inconsistent with his leverage against the run, and in playing the run overall.  Plays a bit too tall with high pad levels compromising his run effectiveness (coaching issue) and struggled some against double teams.  Snap anticipation could be better.  Was not a completely dominant player across all games.  In my view he is not a lock-player but is likely worthy of possibly a later first round selection given the weakness of the interior D-line overall.  RD: 2

Quinton Bohanna – 6’4, 327 – Bohanna is a space eater type who can plug both gaps and anchor in the run game.  He has the size and body to occupy those gaps and defenders, allowing linebackers to play cleaner behind him.  He is a bully-type who uses his raw power.  Not much of a pass rusher and likely off the field on passing downs.  He stands up a bit too much, which must be coached out of him.  Has some trouble with angled blocks.  His feet are heavy.  A rotation guy.  RD: 6.

Bobby Brown III – 6’4, 321 – Young player (won’t be 21 until August), he has raw power and very athletic traits.  He carries his mass well, has power to walk blockers back.  His footwork is quick – not a clodder.  Can bend.  Has shown range.  Will help keep linebackers clean.  Got better each year.  Can be handled on double teams.  Lacks consistency and takes too many plays off, which is deadly as a nose tackle.  Has some pass rush potential but that must improve.  He can be lazy, which must go away.  He has high-end traits with rare flexibility and power combo and needs to be coached-up to reach his potential.  An interview and coachability checks are critical in evaluating Brown’s potential to improve.  Even with his upside, not sure that lackadaisical character is really the Ravens way.  I would avoid him but he’s likely on the board somewhere.  RD: 5.

Alim McNeill – 6’1, 317 – An explosive player for a guy his size.  Heavy handed.  Plays with bent knees and generates good leverage.  He can stack at the point of attack.  Had an excellent year against the run and handled double teams well though he could improve his technique.  One-gap may be his best slot.  Hasn’t offered a lot laterally.  Not going to offer too much at this point in the pass rush game as he really lacks moves.  McNeill still has to put it all together and he will barely be 21.  He has upside, but I believe he will be drafted higher than where he currently fits – a projection.  A candidate for the Brandon Williams spot next year as a nose tackle, though not a perfect one as I’m not sure he’s perfectly suited for a two gap technique.  McNeill won’t be on the field on passing downs.  RD: 3.

Daviyon Nixon – 6’3, 313 – Right off, Nixon probably figures best as a three-technique (lining up over a guard’s shoulder), as the description below makes evident, which makes him potentially a scheme misfit for the Ravens.  He has explosive get-off with the arm-over necessary to penetrate.  Has lateral quickness along with good core strength.  There are nose tackle solid traits: he is able to root his feet against double teams and he looks steady two-gapping.  But he wasn’t always able to stack.  Led the Big Ten with tackles for loss.  He does struggle to shed against longer linemen.  His pass rush can stall, and his run reads must improve.  Nixon only had nine starts across the 21 games that he played in.  RD: 3.

Osa Odighuzuwa – 6’1, 282 – A small defensive tackle, he may have qualities similar to Kelly Gregg, though smaller yet.  Notwithstanding his height, he has great length, with 34” arms.  He is a three-time state champion wrestler, and it shows in his game.  He is explosive and naturally powerful; a good striker with his powerful hands and a very powerful lower half.  He has burst to the edges and the necessary dip to get underneath blockers.  Once he gets going he keeps going downhill.  Finds the football quickly.  Plays every play and has played across the line.  He is a bit long-legged, and he can get too upright as a pass rusher, though for the Ravens he probably wouldn’t be asked too often.  He can be slow to counter.  He should be disruptive in the run game. RD: 3-4.

Levi Onwuzurike – 6’2, 290 – Here’s a guy who showed periods of dominance but could then be on the ground.  With that said, he is very talented.  At this point he’s probably best suited as a three-technique (lining up outside the guard’s shoulder) while the Ravens would likely prefer him in an odd front.  He could stand to put on more mass.  He is an excellent athlete with good quickness, burst, energy and power as a rusher.  Because he is quick, he can work multiple gaps.  But he does rush tall at times, which needs to be fixed.  Very hot motor.  He’s known as a team-first guy, which will play well with the Ravens.  High IQ.  Has exceptional leverage which makes him a good run defender.  He’s a guy who you likely need to block with two guys in the run game.  He is tough, fast with physical hands and is twitchy.  He sat out last year, which leaves me wondering where his game is now, and with all of his skills, he never dominated sack wise.  Now, he did play primarily as a nose, which is not where he figures to be in the NFL.  As noted, his skills are far better suited outside the guard.  RD: 2-3.

Tommy Togiai – 6’2, 296 – Another smaller-sized tackle, but he has tons of strength (98^th percentile in the bench press).  His other workout metrics were all excellent.  He is very tough at the point of attack and has the strength to stack and discard.  Has quickness enough to get through gaps.  His motor is always on full throttle.  Excellent acceleration and a true effort guy.  A leader.  Has been durable.  His arms are short.  Pass rushing is not his thing to this point and he’s still developing his instincts.  He should be a tough run defender.  Togiai was used as a 1-technique guy (lining up between the center and guard) and was not a true nose lining up over the center.  He could likely swing out to the three technique (outside of the guard).  I see him as a nose tackle or he could be a DE for the Ravens in a single gap setup.  A two-down player at this point. RD: 3-4.

Jay Tufele – 6’2, 305 – A high caliber athlete who is not particularly good at diagnosing plays.  He can handle single blocks but has some difficulty when doubled.  He is powerful with good range and is fast for his size.  He has a very hot motor and explodes off the snap with very good range.  Strong rip moves.  Chases well.  Needs work with shedding. Only two years of experience and opted out last year, so he’s a bit of a projection.  Inconsistent in applying his power and pushing back.  As a pass rusher he is a bit undeveloped but has explosion in his hands and explosion overall.  He’s a natural disrupter.  He has the skills to potentially be a three-down player.  RD: 3-4.

Marlon Tuipulotu – 6’2, 308 – This guy has run defender written all over him.  He is a thick player with great base power who is hard to move.  He’s a striker with very strong hands to knock blockers backwards.  Locates the football well in the run game.  Gives very good pursuit and always brings the effort.  Very competitive.  Can play the A or B gap.  Put a little more mass on him, which would really help his anchoring, and he could be dominant in the run game.  His first step is not particularly explosive and his ability to change direction is a bit suspect.  He has some pass rush moves but is not elite there.  Has had a bit of an injury history. He is an improving player.  RD: 3-4

Milton Williams – 6’3, 284 – He is an ascending player who really came on last year.  He is an explosive player with a fluid lower body.  Quick and powerful.  Can work laterally along the entire line of scrimmage.  Very strong and physical hands, which makes up some for his smaller size.  Locates the ball well.  Will chase plays away from the line of scrimmage.  Conditioning and hustle improved.  Can improve pad level as it can get too high.  Needs to finish better.  He is a slippery rusher with good twitch in his upper body and agility to get around blockers but doesn’t have a go-to move yet.  Explosive.  Excellent run defender with good power at the point of attack.  Plays through double-teams.  He’s a bit of a tweener size-wise, but flexible to play anywhere on the line (played B-gap, over tackle, and outside tackle last year).  His workout metrics were outstanding (bench 91^st percentile; three-cone 100^th percentile; 40-yard dash 99^th percentile; shuttle 98^th percentile; vertical and broad jumps, 97^th percentile).  I like this player.  RD: 2-3.

Don’t Like:

1. Tyler Shelvin – Food eating machine with character issues, though a run-stuffing monster.
2. Khyiris Tonga
3. Jaylen Twyman
4. Marvin Wilson

Inside Linebackers

None!

Safeties

This is a weak class for safeties overall, and free safeties in particular.

Andre Cisco – 6’ 216 – A ball hawk, Cisco has been prone for falling for double moves and he is a freelancer, leading to a bunch of blown coverages.  He picked off 13 passes in 22 starts.  His aggressiveness is what gets him sometimes.  But his range is outstanding, as are his play-making instincts.  A definite free-safety type, he can also play in the box though he is not as physical as one would like in that sense and has been inconsistent in there.  Not a great tackler as he doesn’t always wrap.  Has not been great mirroring.  He had a season-ending ACL injury last year.  He is very fast and covers a lot of ground.  His range is elite.  Excellent size.  This is a guy who needs to be coached up and certainly has a boom or bust potential.  Because of that, I rate him lower than most.  I wouldn’t touch him before the round listed, and he will likely be tempting for others before that.  RD: 3

Richie Grant – 5’11, 197 – An older player (23.5), he has excellent range and is a ball hawk.  He can play single-high or split safety.  Has great speed and covers a lot of ground against both run and pass.  Excellent timing as a pass defender.  Has a closing burst.  Attacks screens.  Can guard tight ends.  Knack for forcing fumbles.  Good open-field tackler but could improve his wrapping skills.  Has physical hands.  Brings effort.  Plays special teams.  Labelled a “coach on the field.”  Can lose his balance when transitioning.  Sometimes a bit late in reading and recognizing routes (mental processing) and needs work on combination routes.  Rarely asked to play man in college.  He’s leaner than ideal.  Though he played many roles in college, he projects as a classic high free safety, and a playmaker at that, just what the Ravens should be looking for.  Had a strong week at the Senior Bowl. RD: 2-3

Jevon Holland – 6’ 207 – He has great athleticism when the ball is in the air with the ability to disrupt the catch point.  Fluid.  Reads and reacts well; good processor.  Tough versus the run.  Has nickel experience.  Had nine picks and 11 break-ups in 16 starts and 27 games overall; a ball hawk.  He lacks suddenness at the break point and is not explosive to close the gap after a mistake.  Would help to add bulk.  Not a special athlete but is a loose one.  Good tackler.  Should be able to play both deep and the slot but is not a box safety.  Opted out of 2020, which is yet another player who is harder to know exactly where he stands.  Good leader.  Speed is adequate to play on the back end.  RD: 2-3.

Jamar Johnson – 6’2, 205 – Johnson can cover the slot and also has high safety ability, with great instincts and ball skills.  Scheme versatile.  He has very good field awareness and vision.  He will tackle but needs technique improvement to be strong in run support (missed too often).  Very high IQ.  He has very good range and quick feet.  Strong and soft hands.  Finds the football, will read eyes and make a play on the ball.  Makes plays on the ball from a variety of roles.  Very fluid with excellent hips.  Almost always in good position.  He flourished in half-field responsibilities, but has also player deep, which I believe will transfer to the NFL.  An ascending player.  RD: 2-3

Trevon Moehrig – 6’ 202 – An athletic and versatile ball haw with great play range, especially from the deep half.  Lots of plays on the ball.  Has excellent anticipation and can play single-high or split safety.  Lacks an explosive second gear for recovery.  Good judgment.  Can wrap around receivers and knock down passes.  As a tackler, he strikes through his targets; hard hitter, but can be out of control.  Some don’t see him as a single-high safety.  Special teamer.  Team captain.  High football character and work ethic.  Just average play strength.  At best when patrolling the middle of the field.  In man coverage, he can get caught on double moves.  He can play over the slot.  See him as a starting high free safety.  Didn’t see further improvement in 2020 versus 2019.  RD: 1-2.

Not Interested:

1. Shawn Davis
2. Divine Deablo
3. Paris Ford
4. Tyree Gillespie
5. Talanoa Hufanga – not a back-end type.
6. Richard Leounte – not special on the back end.
7. Hamsah Nasrilideen – If the Ravens needed a box safety, he would definitely be on the draft list. But they don’t, so he isn’t.
8. Tariq Thompson
9. Trill Williams

Ravens 2021 Comprehensive Guide: Cornerbacks

First round candidates are ignored as it’s inconceivable to me the Ravens would draft a corner with their first pick.  Surtain, Horn, Newsome and Farley are therefore not reviewed..

Ar’Darius Washington – 5’8, 178 – Size is the obvious issue here. He’s a midget by NFL D-back standards; it will limit his ability to take on blocks, jump balls, tight ends, etc.  A safety in college, no way he can play there in the NFL so I grade him as a slot-nickel.  Played with Moehrig at TCU.  Tremendous instincts.  He sees the game like no other.  No hesitation in his game.  Great agility and change of direction.  Showed outstanding range.  His measured speed was disappointing.  As a tackler he does player much bigger than he is.  His poor three-cone time scares me a bit in the nickel slot as I wonder whether he will be able to react quick enough against NFL slot receivers.  Once he is angled out, no way he’ll be able to get around bodies.  I wouldn’t take him because of his size limits.  RD: 5

Shakur Brown – 5’9, 185 – Started only 12 games in his career, but Brown has most of the tools to be an effective slot cover guy.  He’s a little slower than you’d like and will likely have some trouble running on the back end and it shows in last year’s stats, where his coverage rating plummeted on deep balls versus excellent to good grades in short and intermediate targets.  But he’s a ball hawk, with seven picks and 16 passes defensed on 79 career targets while often covering the best receiver.  Excellent ball tracker who breaks well on routes.  Peaks in the backfield too much.  Very physical.  Decent tackler in the open field.  Needs better discipline.  Reacts very well.  Tough, aggressive demeanor.  Plays downhill as run defender.  More experience would help. Likely would be a good blitzer.  RD: 3-4.

Tre Brown – 5’9, 185 – Played outside in college and played it well, but nickel is his future.  Excellent long speed.  Only allowed 37% completions over last three years.  Has lapses in technique but has a natural feel for routes.  Very aggressive, sometimes to a fault.  Very good acceleration and transitional quickness; very twitchy.  Has a closing burst to routes.  Physical and a good tackler.  Gunner on special teams with lots of special teams experience.  Leader.  Offers defense at all three levels.  Excellent at maintaining leverage.  Smooth out of his breaks.  Is grabby, which needs to be worked on, and some of his breakups might be NFL penalties.  His short stature makes it hard for him to compete against bigger WRs at the catch point, underscoring nickel as his future.  Development will be needed at the nickel, as he rarely played there.  RD: 5-6.

Kelvin Joseph – 5’11, 197 – After playing as a freshman at LSU and being suspended for a bowl game for violating team rules, he transferred to Kentucky, sat out a year, and played last year.  Obvious character issues (on and off the field) which have to be addressed and, based on what is publicly available, I doubt he would pass with the Ravens (one coach: he “needs to grow up”; some scouts note his rapping passion may be his biggest; has six albums).  On the field, he has top-end traits.  He is loose-hipped and plays sudden with excellent speed (4.34 40-yard).  Has great drive explosion and very good ball awareness.  Able to turn head to the QB.  Very good ball skills and attacks the catch point.  Very confident.  Can play inside/outside.  Too handsy and gave up too many big plays last year.  Lacks consistent route recognition skills.  Good in run support Only nine career starts. This guy arguably has first-round talent.  RD: 2.

Zach McPhearson – 5’11, 195 – He is fluid with great hips, tough and has good cover skills.  Has very quick feet and can mirror well.  Played both inside and outside at Texas Tech and I see him on the inside.  Has good instincts and reacts well in the screen game.  He has a slight build and some trouble working off blocks on the outside, but he is very willing in run support and will attack downhill with finishing ability.  Needs to improve anticipating route breaks.  Played well in zone and in man.  Played well on special teams.  Not a blazer (ran a 4.53 4-yard) but has very good feet as his workout metrics show (92^nd percentile shuttle; 64^th percentile 3-cone).   RD: 4

Ifeatu Melifonwu – 6’2, 205 – Has all of the traits of a press-corner but without the experience (only 183 press snaps in career).  Great size and length.  Accelerates quickly (95^th percentile 10-yard split) providing excellent burst.  Can flip his hips at full speed for easier mirroring.  Long arms to interfere with passing lanes.  Physical in run defense.  Very competitive.  Has played man and zone.  Loves football.  Good ball production through his career.  Needs to improve his route recognition and his reading overall as he is a bit too reactive at this point.  Blankets smaller receivers but has allowed too much cushion from off-man.  He didn’t test as well overall as one would have thought (average forty-yard and below grade three-cone and shuttle).  RD: 2-3

Elijah Molden – 5’9, 192 – A very good slot corner candidate with great instincts and character (team leader), but very slow (4.62 forty-yard; 6^th percentile) which makes his down-field capability a bit suspect.  He might figure better as a down-field safety, so he brings position versatility.  Very competitive.  Has very good play strength and anticipation, and excellent play recognition.  He doesn’t have exceptional play acceleration and gives ground when flipping to sprint, which, to me, suggests a move to the back end might be apropos.  Yet, his read-react skills are so good that he should fare well in the slot up to the intermediate range.  Good open-field tackler and striker.  Special teamer.  RD: 2-3.

Aaron Robinson – 5’11, 190 – He can play both zone and man, though he has shown some zone struggles.  A physical player who will provide run support.  He has shown modest to good ball skills.  I see him as a slot-corner candidate.  He has inside/out capability.  He is patient in coverage, but his instincts are inconsistent.  Can get grabby.  Will be 24.  He is quick-footed with very good turn and run skills, very good speed (4.39 forty-yard) and good reaction to find the ball.  Can stay attached to receivers.  Mental processing is average.  Has had some tackling issues earlier in his career, lunging and missing, though he improved last year.  RD: 5.

Robert Rochell – 5’11, 193 – An athlete extraordinaire with all of the measurables.  Ran a 4.39 forty, tested off the charts in the jumps and very well in the shuttle and three-cone.  But he hasn’t played to those measurables so far.  Got torched at the Senior Bowl workouts.  Shouldn’t get beat deep with that speed.  Long-arms.  Outstanding leaping ability.  Had very good ball production.  Mediocre technique guy who relies on his physical skills.  Slow to transition from press and needs to improve ball awareness.  Willing tackler.  Not technically refined and gave up too many catches in front of him.  Needs mental development.  This is a traits guy to this point whose physical skills are NFL-elite but who must be coached way up.  I think he will be way over-drafted due to his physical skills.  RD: 5.

Asante Samuel Jr. – 5’10, 180 – In my view, just too small to play consistently on the perimeter, with a body type that is just too difficult to bulk up.  He is a twitched, confident athlete.  Has the movement skills to turn and run.  Can play press and has the feet to stay connected.  Outstanding drive on the ball.  Even though small, he plays tough and will bring run support, though big-bodies receivers can block him down the field.  Baits a bit too much, leading to completions in front of him.  Excellent reaction quickness.  Team captain, very competitive.  I like Samuel a lot, but it’s hard to see how he will be available to the Ravens.  If he falls down the first round board it’s not likely to me they would use that capital.  He’s certainly more value than their second pick but I don’t see how he will be there.  RD: 1-2.

Benjamin St-Juste – 6’3, 202 – Still a developmental player even at (almost) age 24, he had injury issues early in his career and has only started 14 games so far (420 snaps).  He’s about as big as they come at corner, with a massive wingspan.  An excellent tackler who has only build-up speed.  Was eaten alive by KJ Hamler in 2019, unable to mirror the incredibly quick Hamler.  Very aggressive and competitive.  Contests well at the catch point.  Route recognition is below average, screaming for more experience.  He has the potential to be a tough press cover, but the problem is his very limited experience combined with his age.  Why would the Ravens invest in an older player with good upside but who needs a lot of work versus doing the same with a younger one?  The only answer would be if they see him with very high upside as a press cover.  I would pass, given the probabilities value-return at his age.  RD: 4-5.

Eric Stokes – 6’1, 194 – Lightning fast (ran a 4.29) and quick to boot, he can play inside or outside.  Played press pretty well last year and improved.  He has below average play strength and is suspect in run support.  Only flashes of playmaking as he doesn’t attack the ball enough, but he did improve with four picks last year.  Twitchy, which should allow him to contribute in the slot and be adept in zones.  Plays a bit upright.  Very competitive at the catch point.  Has been coachable.  Needs to improve play recognition.  One of several good slot-nickel candidates for the Ravens.  I grade him below the consensus.  RD: 3.

Darren Hall – 5’11, 188 – He has very strong press-man skills, something critical for the Ravens.  Good but not great speed (ran a 4.41) and generally good athletic traits.  Tough with very good ball skills.  Needs technique work as a converted safety; has potential positional versatility.  He is not sudden in transition from off man coverage, granting separation at the top of routes.  A little bit of a gambler given his average recovery ability.  Had some injuries.  Can jam at the line.  Physical tackler.  Though Hall’s size might suggest nickel-slot, he has no experience there and might lack the necessary hip swivel and quickness.  A decent prospect: RD 5-6.

Don’t Like

1. Paulson Adebo – Boom or bust ball hawker who has a lot to learn.
2. Tyson Campbell – Others like him a lot; see him as boom or bust who will go too high for Ravens’ interest.
3. Thomas Graham – Nothing special
4. Olaijah Griffin
5. Ambry Thomas – Just not enough to evaluate him.

Hope you enjoyed this Baltimore Ravens 2021 Comprehensive Draft Guide.  Comments for improvements next year are appreciated!