2013 NFL Draft: QB Stock Up, How It Affects The Ravens

Feb 22, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2013 NFL draft just days away, we are starting to get a better feel for how the draft will fall. There is growing buzz that the Bills will be choosing between Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib and USC QB Matt Barkley. While I think neither of those two would be good options at 8 overall(seriously, 8th?)

If that is true, then there is a good chance that 3 QBs(Barkley, Nassib and Geno Smith) will be taken in the first round ahead of the Ravens. Anytime a QB is taken, it is a good thing for the Ravens. When a team reaches for a QB, it pushes a better player down the board. Every time a team takes one of this group of second round QBs, a first round value falls one spot further. it benefits every team below the team that reaches for the pick.

The current favorites for the drafts top QBs are the Jags(at 2) for Geno Smith, The Jets(9 and 13) for Geno smith and Matt Barkley, the Bills(8) for Nassib and Barkley. Ideally all three of those guys would go early and a surprise team like the chiefs or cardinals would trade up into the mid 20s for EJ Manuel. If that were the case, the Ravens would get, at worst, the 28th best player in the draft(under the premise that there isn’t a QB graded in the top 32, there isn’t one on my board). That is a heck of a lot better than getting the 32nd best player.