Baltimore Ravens State of the Corps: Defensive Line

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Clearly then, depth is not too much of an issue at this point, especially since nine of the ten players along the defensive line are 26 or younger. I don’t think any position on the d-line is a massive need. However, this could be Canty’s last season and there is no guarantee that Urban will fully recover

The Ravens may look to target a defensive lineman after the first round. Plus, depth and competition in camp is never a bad thing is it? That said, there aren’t really many later round guys that really catch my eye. The only one that did was Arkansas’ Darius Philon

Darius Philon

Nov 29, 2013; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks defensive tackle Darius Philon (91) celebrates a sack by a teammate agains thte LSU Tigers in the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

Philon, who was selected in the fifth round (158th) by Jackson Thompson in his seven round Ravens mock draft, is a defensive tackle out of Arkansas that can come in, provide instant depth and maybe develop into a starter. Though his explosion off the snap is very good, he must add mass before he can really challenge Jernigan or Williams for a starting spot as he lacks playing strength.

The good news is, even if the Ravens don’t make a big splash in the draft by taking a highly rated defensive lineman, they are still in good shape heading into 2015. What was a position of strength last season will continue to be so this season, which is bad news for offensive lines everywhere.

Next: Baltimore Ravens Draft Grades: Looking Back at the 2012 NFL Draft

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