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Ravens Draft: Ezekiel Elliott Real Option

By Chris Schisler

Jan 24, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer laughs with running back Ezekiel Elliot at the start of the national championship celebration at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer laughs with running back Ezekiel Elliot at the start of the national championship celebration at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Ravens could surprise us all and select Ezekiel Elliott with the sixth overall pick. The Ravens don’t need a running back. With a group led by Justin Forsett, the Ravens are kind of set in the backfield. Elliott is still an option though.

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The Ravens are as unrelenting as any team with their draft strategy. Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta take the best player available. With the sixth overall pick, it’s hard to deny that the Buckeye’s running back is worth the investment.

Elliott is a potential game changing talent. He is a well-rounded player that can do everything. From gritty runs in between the tackles to catching passes out of the backfield, Elliott’s skill set is amazing. Elliott averaged 6.7 yards per carry at Ohio State. This is saying something, because the Buckeye’s gave him a lot of rushing attempts.

I have often thought that the Ravens have never spoiked Joe Flacco with talent. Nothing helps your quarterback out more than a great running back. This is especially true in Elliott’s case because he is also a weapon in the passing game. Flacco and Rice were a great combination, but Elliott has a chance to be greater than Rice was.

The Ravens are not overly invested in any running back, including Forsett. They have a lot of options, many of which are dispensible. While Forsett is clearly the Ravens starter, Elliott would be an upgrade at the position.

The Ravens know the value of a great running back. In the Ravens 20 year run, they have had two great backs in Jamal Lewis and Ray Rice. Elliott would fill the Rice void. He is a great runner who could be a  matchup nightmare in the passing game. Elliott caught 58 passes with the Buckeyes. In the open field, Elliott is impossible to catch.

The Ravens needs are on defense. The good thing is that the Ravens have nine picks. Guys like Mackensie Alexander, Kendall Fuller and maybe even Noah Spence could be there in round two. The Ravens have needs that must be addressed, but not necessarily in the first round.

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The bottom line is that Elliott is a powerful running back and has the physical tool set to be dominant. If the Ravens see Elliottt as a once in a lifetime player, drafting him is justifiable. If he isn’t taken by the Dallas Cowboys with the fourth pick, Elliott becomes a real option for the Ravens.

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