The NFL Draft is just around the corner and the Baltimore Ravens get the chance to fix a bunch of holes in the team’s roster. Don’t expect Leonard Fournette to become a Raven:
Rumors have already come out on who the Ravens like in the draft and it’s not much of a surprise that one of these prospects is LSU running back Leonard Fournette.
The LSU product has separated himself as the top running back in the draft, as FSU’s Dalvin Cook has dropped down draft boards because of off-the-field issues. Fournette will likely be a top-10 pick, with the Jaguars and Panthers being top destinations for the powerful back.
So what would it take for Fournette to become a Raven?
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The first thing would be for the Jaguars to pass on a running back. They have a ton of holes to fill and could choose to fix up their defense with their top-five pick. Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen or Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas would go in this spot if the Jaguars choose to pass on the LSU star.
However, this would be the smallest part of the scenario. There’s a small chance the Panthers would pass on Fournette, meaning the Ravens would have to find a way to trade ahead of them. The two big options would be the Jets and Chargers, with both teams needing to rebuild.
The cost to move up that high would be tremendous. It’s hard to imagine either team would take anything less than the Ravens’ 2017 1st-round pick, 3rd-round pick and 2018 1st-round pick in order to move that high.
The Purple and Black Need All The Help They Can Get:
The Ravens would have their future running back and the offense would receive a tremendous boost, but it would hurt the rebuild that needs to happen in the next couple years. It’s also a lot to give up for a luxury picks, with running backs Terrence West, Kenneth Dixon and Danny Woodhead already in the fold.
Also, Ozzie Newsome might never want to part with a future first-round pick again after doing so in 2003 for quarterback Kyle Boller.
Fournette is just a dream scenario for a team that has a bunch of holes to fix. It’s also a possibility that the Panthers trade up in order to grab the running back, which completely takes the the Ravens out of the equation.
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The Ravens will end up doing what they always do: wait to see who falls and take the best player available. It’s not a bad thing though, as its a steep draft class and the Ravens need pass rushers, help in the secondary and a right tackle.
Fournette may have wore purple in his collegiate career, but expect him in different colors in the NFL.