Baltimore Ravens 2014 Season Preview and Predictions
By Brett Foote
Aug 16, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Gavin Escobar (89) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley (57) and free safety Matt Elam (26) in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Key Additions: Rookies To Watch
LB C.J. Mosley (Alabama, 1st round), DT Timmy Jernigan (Florida State, 2nd round), TE Crockett Gillmore (Colorado State, 3rd round), FS Terrence Brooks (Florida State, 3rd round), RB Lorenzo Taliaferro (Coastal Carolina, 4th round), WR Michael Campanaro (Wake Forest, 7th round)
C.J. Mosley
Mosley comes to the Ravens with some serious expectations. A team that is legendary for it’s long line of great linebackers, the Ravens selected Mosley with the 17th overall pick with the intentions of him filling those huge shoes. Mosley filled the stat sheet at Alabama, finishing his career with 23 career tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. Mosley possesses strong cover skills and elite ability against the run. He will be a starter from day one.
Timmy Jernigan
Jernigan was a big part of Florida State’s national championship team in 2013, racking up 11 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a junior. He is a plus athelete who is equally good at clogging running lanes and disrupting the interior of opposing offensive lines. Jernigan is a bit smallish for a DT at 6’2″ and 299 pounds, but he will play plenty of snaps this season as part of the defensive line rotation and should have a nice impact.
Crockett Gillmore
Gillmore adds another tight end to an offense that projects to run a ton of two tight end sets, perhaps even as the base offense at times. Gillmore is a beastly 6’5″ and 260 pounds, and has only been playing the position for three seasons after converting from a defensive end. Over those three seasons, Gillmore posted 111 catches for 1,308 yards and 8 touchdowns. He is a plus athlete for his size and is excellent in pass protection, plus he has room to grow in the passing game.
Lorenzo Taliaferro
Taliaferro was a hard charging runner at small school Coastal Carolina, toting the rock 356 times for 2,086 yards (5.9 YPC) and 32 touchdowns over two seasons. Taliaferro is a pro ready pass blocker who is a load to bring down in the open field. He projects to funnel early down snaps through the season, and could perhaps take over starting duties down the road.
Terrence Brooks
Brooks was a ballhawk at Florida State, where he was voted first team All-ACC as a senior. Brooks is a classic center field safety with excellent speed and athleticism. He has a very real chance to start over free agent acquisition Darian Stewart, depending on how quickly he adjusts to NFL level competition.
Michael Campanaro
Campanaro is a speedy and athletic, but small receiver who projects as the future in the slot for the Ravens. He set the all time school record for receptions while at Wake Forest, averaging 10.9 yards per reception on his career with 14 touchdowns. Camp will likely make his impact on special teams as a rookie, but has a future in the receiving corp down the road.
Next: Key Losses