As the NFL Scouting Combine begins later this month, here are five prospects the Baltimore Ravens should keep an eye out for.
With the Senior Bowl and all the collegiate All-Star games concluded, the next step in the offseason is the NFL Scouting Combine. The annual event held in Indianapolis has become a televised spectacle. Over 300 of the best draft prospects are invited to take part in interviews, athletic skill tests along with position drills. While a combine performance doesn’t define a player’s career, it’s a chance to show off their athletic ability in front of all 32 NFL teams.
The Baltimore Ravens will be one of those teams scouting out their potential draft picks. General manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh will be a few of the Ravens’ personnel in attendance over the course of the entire week. With one of the most stable front offices in all of football, the Ravens pride themselves on their draft record. They’ve been able to find a wealth of talent in almost every round imaginable.
This year is extremely important for the Ravens. They possess a multitude of needs on the offensive side of the ball. Last year the Ravens did not select a single offensive skill player in the draft. After hearing owner Steve Bisciotti speak in his season-ending press conference, that’s going to change this year. It’s no secret the offense needs upgrades at specific positions.
Here are five players the Ravens should keep an eye on heading into the combine next week.
5. Courtland Sutton
After three standout seasons at SMU, wide receiver Courtland Sutton is a top prospect heading into the NFL draft. He received an invitation to attend the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama but decided to bypass the event. This will be the first time we’ll get to see Sutton since his last collegiate game.
Fellow site expert Chris Schisler could write an entire book about Sutton, he loves him that much. I can certainly see why. Sutton possesses a frame that not many receivers have at 6-4, 215-pounds. His size compares to that of Alshon Jeffery with the ability to win possession over cornerbacks. With Sutton, 50-50 balls aren’t a toss-up. He’s got the size advantage to make those plays, much like the Ravens had during their Super Bowl run with Anquan Boldin.
I’m assuming Sutton tests off the charts on the vertical jump but his 40-yard dash time will be something to watch. No one’s expecting John Ross kind of numbers but we’ll see if Sutton is as fast in person or he’s just outrunning some mediocre defenders in the AAC.