I’m dubbing the nickname for the Baltimore Ravens “Pretty” Joe Flacco. If you aren’t familiar with the context, bone up on your Mos Def terminology. At any rate, here’s the Ebony Bird’s look at the Ravens work in rounds 1 and 2.
Round One – After some careful budgeting and maneuvering, (that a Half-Baked reference. I’m full of em’ people) the Ravens came up on their top rated quarterback and picks for days in the later rounds. What they gave up in 2005 on Derek Anderson, they’ve promptly gotten back in Joe Flacco. Great size, good arm, good mobility, and the ability to will teams to win. It really doesn’t matter that he went to Delaware, because they Ravens don’t need and offensive game breaker. They only need an offensive manager to sustain long enough drives to rest the manic defense, and Flacco, whether its now or next year, suits the need perfectly.
Round Two – Musa Smith and Mike Anderson were the established back-ups in Baltimore, and Willis McGahee made it so with his Pro Bowl season. So in some what of a surprising move, the Ravens’ second round pick went to Rutgers University’s Raymell Rice, a super running back who led the Scarlet Knights to top five BCS status in 2006. Perhaps the Ravens would’ve been better suited scooping a wide receiver off the board, but you can never go wrong with a two-headed attack on the ground.
It remains to be seen how the Ravens will invest the rest of their 10,000 picks, but if the first two round indicate anything, they’ve addressed a big offensive need and picked up an offensive insurance policy. It’s D time now.