Baltimore Ravens First Round Draft Pick History and Analysis

Aug 2, 2013; Canton, OH, USA; Historical display of 2013 enshrinee Jonathan Ogden at the Pro Footall Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Any NFL fan worth their salt knows that the first round of the draft draws the most hype of the entire weekend, even before it became a primetime TV event.  Even though the Ravens are a team known for uncovering gems in later rounds, they have made a number of  first round picks that, quite simply, have shaped the history of the franchise.

So as we prepare to see who Ozzie and company take in the opening round of the 2015 Draft (if they don’t trade back), we though it would be fun to take a look back at the Baltimore Ravens first round draft pick history and see what direction the team has generally gone in with their premiere pick(s).  As you’ll see, there are some discernible patterns here.

Before we begin to “pick” these selections apart, here is the entire Baltimore Ravens first round draft pick history since the team came to be in 1996.

First, does it get any better than the inaugural 1996 draft, when the Ravens picked two hall of famers right off the bat?   I mean, most teams these days are happy to get a serviceable starter with their first round pick.  Other teams (not to name names) have spent numerous first round picks, year after year, on players who bust (some in only one season).

That isn’t to say that the Ravens haven’t had their fair share of busts in the first round.  I’m going to go out on a controversial limb and name the players above I consider to be a bust, given their first round status: Travis Taylor, Kyle Boller, Mark Clayton, Michael Oher, and Matt Elam all jump out as guys who didn’t live up to their potential.  Yes, I’m throwing early sand on Elam’s career.

That equates to a “bust rate percentage” of 26%.  That may sound bad at first (and I haven’t compiled stats on other teams as of yet), but I guarantee you it’s not.  The Ravens have also traded out of the first round altogether three times.  I am not including those picks in any of these statistics (though 2004’s was sacrificed to move up and select Kyle Boller…ugh).

We like to talk about how the Ravens never take offensive players in the first round, but how true is that old wive’s tale?  Out of their 19 first round selections, nine have come on the offensive side of the ball (47%).  Of those picks, three have been offensive linemen (15.8%), two have been quarterbacks (10.5%), two have been wide receivers (10.5%), and one pick each has gone to a tight end and a running back (5%).

That doesn’t exactly support the commonly accepted notion that the Ravens are very averse to spending first round picks on offense.  Granted, only two have been selected in the John Harbaugh era, but I digress.

So how do the defensive picks break down?  Obviously the Ravens love their linebackers, selecting four of them in the first round (21%).  They love corners almost as much (15.8%), followed by safeties (10.5%) and defensive tackles (5%).

So what can we learn from this exercise?  There are certain positions that the Ravens obviously place a premium on, no matter how you stack the numbers.  Those positions include linebacker, cornerback, and offensive lineman.  Quarterback is a wash, because they just simply needed a guy to hold down the position.

The Ravens have not been good at finding first round wide receivers, but they are amazing at unearthing future stars at linebacker.  If Matt Elam can somehow right the ship and put in a decent career, they will have a very good track record of drafting defensive backs.  And aside from the Michael Oher disappointment, the Ravens have done a good job finding offensive lineman.

So while our first round analysis is obviously a limited exercise, it’s pretty clear that the Ravens have been one of the best teams in the NFL when it comes to unearthing talent in the first round of the draft, year in and year out.  But it’s also quite obvious that they have a better eye for some positions than others.

So who still wants to draft a wide receiver in the first round?

Next: Who Would the Ravens Draft in 2015 if They Could Draft Anyone?

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