All those who have followed the Ravens around the earlier quite a few many years may perhaps be a minimal amazed to hear that, sitting down at the back again conclusion of the initially spherical, the Ravens are not envisioned to trade again out of the initial spherical. Crew writers Clifton Brown and Ryan Mink noted immediately after a pre-draft press conference this week that it would just take a “high quality” trade present for the workforce to move down.
Buying and selling again was a prevalent observe for former normal manager Ozzie Newsome, regardless of whether just shifting again later on into the first round or outdoors of the first spherical completely in purchase to get extra draft money. Eric DeCosta, Newsome’s successor, has taken a bit of the opposite strategy, two times buying and selling gamers to acquire an excess 1st-round choice. DeCosta has been proven to worth the fifth-yr choice that is standard on the contracts of to start with-round draft picks significantly more really than Newsome did.
The Ravens aren’t in desperate need for extra draft picks (they have 9 at this level in the course of action), but the franchise has been notorious for hitting on early-Day A few picks. The team is also recognized for disregarding positions of have to have in favor of the “very best participant accessible” mentality. If they don’t experience the gamers available by the time their decide on rolls about are worthy of their draft slot or are “need to have” players, Baltimore nonetheless may choose to shift down. No matter, DeCosta has hopes that a player ranked in their possess prime-20 rankings finds their way down to the 30th decide. If not, the group would seem for a workforce willing to give up a superior haul to go again into Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft.
So, what are the Ravens going to be on the lookout for at their draft slot? The crew has reportedly been continuously joined to offensive tackles and broad receivers so much in the pre-draft method. When people are positions of have to have in most people today’s eyes, these are also the positions that the team’s assessment tells them will have the most-worthwhile prospects even now all-around that late in the draft. Evidence of that pondering can be observed in their tactic to a to start with-spherical cornerback. Cornerback is also a obvious have to have for the Ravens, but the depth of the situation most likely received’t maintain the draft’s better cornerbacks offered that late into the first round, so Baltimore will emphasis much more on the line and receiving corps.
Another position they may possibly go to at No. 30 over-all is edge rusher. The staff is aware that the prime-close move rushers will not be close to late in the to start with round, so they are undertaking their research on the 2nd-tier players at the situation. A couple of these second-tier guys rank from the 25th to the 45th finest prospective clients on the Ravens’ board, so DeCosta could hope to land 1 at 30 or 62, based on the worth accessible.
Last of all, DeCosta instructed the media that there is a “strong prospect” that Baltimore will draft a operating back again at some point in the draft. The signing of veteran bell-cow Derrick Henry definitely decreased the will need to draft a rusher early, but a lack of substantial depth at the posture helps make introducing a rookie a probably state of affairs. The rookie back will be a part of Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell, coming again from knee surgical treatment, driving Henry on the depth chart.