Ravens Draft Talk: 4/9

Big news today on the draft front for the Ravens, specifically in the first round. Two highly-regarded prospects, both being projected to be going in the first round are being pursued by the Ravens.  The two players in question are Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson, who has been soaring up draft boards, and Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant, who’s been doing quite the opposite. In addition, local product Edward Morton-Green out of Morgan State is planning to visit with the Ravens next week. There’s not a ton to say about him and his visit, so here’s the article at NFP. Coincidentally, all of the articles being linked in this post are from NFP, as they’ve done a great job with reporting the scouting visits/workouts leading up to this draft.

Aaron Wilson reports that Peter King reported that Bryant was visiting with Ravens officials tonight.  No workout or running the 40-yard dash, just a nice visit to chat about several things. Some topics may include:

-His suspension last season after lying to NCAA investigators about his relationship with former Raven Deion “Prime Time” Sanders

-The forgetting of his shoes at his Pro Day in Stillwater

-If he can come close to his 2008 form at Oklahoma State as an NFL rookie

The Ravens have a history of picking guys who they think are the best football players available. Ozzie Newsome has said before that they consider character an integral part of how they rate a player. Although his workouts and Pro Day have been disappointing, there’s no way to argue that Bryant does not have talent that warrants him to be a top 10 pick, he’s just that good. If Ozzie is going to spend a first round pick on yet another receiver, which would be his 3rd new wideout of this offseason, he’s going to put on his powdered wig and make sure that beyond a reasonable doubt, Bryant has an NFL and a Ravens character.

Now let’s switch to a guy who has become one of the most talked about prospects in this year’s first round, Kyle Wilson. The cornerback out of Boise State has risen faster than anybody could have predicted and has gone from being relatively unknown to being the 2nd best cornerback in the class and a possible top 20 or even top 15 selection.

Now here comes the fun part. Guess who reported that Wilson would be visiting the Ravens (among other teams)? You got it! Aaron Wilson reported that the 5’10” 194 pounder will visit the Ravens, Jaguars, Patriots and Rams. The Jags are picking at #10 and have been linked to Joe Haden, so maybe a trade is looming? The same goes for the Rams who are slated to pick at #1 but reports have said that they’ve been shopping that pick. The Patriots seem to be very interested in Wilson, along with Bryant, so it will be interesting to follow both of these prospects and see if the Ravens like them enough to draft them in the first round.

Note: The Watch List will be updated with the latest players to be linked to the Ravens, and some names will also be removed that are no longer considered likely options.