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NFL Draft: Nothing is off the table for the Baltimore Ravens

By Chris Schisler

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
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The Baltimore Ravens traditionally take the best player available and in this draft that means anything is on the table:

The Baltimore Ravens shocked most people in the 2017 NFL Draft when they took Marlon Humphrey with the 16th overall pick. Few people had the purple and black going cornerback and even fewer had them going almost exclusively defense throughout the draft. It was another example that Ozzie Newsome and company stick to their board, and shut all the outside influences out. It was a reminder that anything is on the table for the Ravens.

The Ravens need at wide receiver is still pretty hot. The common logic here is that Calvin Ridley, an Alabama wide receiver, would be the apple of Ozzie Newsome’s eyes. The first round wide receiver situation is interesting. Everyone has a different take on these receivers. Some covet Ridley, others (myself included) worry about his measurables and lack of toughness. The other names here are Courtland Sutton, D.J. Moore and Christian Kirk.

It’s easy to envision the Ravens refusing to peg themselves down to one of these receivers, especially with their history drafting top receiving prospects. Travis Taylor, Mark Clayton, Breshad Perriman all serve as cautionary tales for Newsome. The Ravens could have forced need last year and they didn’t. Don’t expect the Ravens to take a chance on a first round receiver. It would be exciting if they did, but don’t bet on it.

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Options on top of options:

Derrius Guice is a very interesting option, if he is on the board with the 16th pick. Pairing him with Alex Collins would be an unbelievable feat. Lamar Jackson is a potential quarterback of the future that could survive the first wave of quarterback selections. Would it really be shocking if the Ravens drafted a cornerback like Josh Jackson or Mike Hughes? Absolutely not, and that’s my point. There are a number of ways this thing can go.

Dallas Goedert makes a lot of sense. He is a big bodied tight end that can give Joe Flacco a safety valve over the middle of the field. Goedert is being compare to Rob Gronkowski so it would be hard to say he isn’t in the discussion here.

With a lot of the first round picks you have one or two prospects to think about. The Browns, Jets, and Bills are all in on a quarterback. The New York Giants are probably going to take Bradley Chubb with the second pick. You can go down the list with 10 or 20  knowledgeable people and get a consensus top three targets for most teams in this draft. With the Ravens you could end up with a long list of targets.

If Derwin James somehow falls to the Ravens, he is 100 percent in play. Do you remember the year the Ravens took C.J. Mosley? Most people thought Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was the obvious pick but the Ravens didn’t think Mosley would be there. They ended up with a Pro Bowl linebacker. James may not fill an immediate need, but he gives the Ravens a great player who will replace Eric Weddle sooner or later. That’s an option for the purple and black.

The Bottom Line:

It’s not being indecisive when I tell you that I don’t know how the Ravens are going to attack the 16th pick. The Ravens are notorious for smokescreens. Anything you hear out of “The Castle” in Owings Mills is probably not something to take too seriously. The Ravens could be in on Lamar Jackson, but they surely want you to think that they are. It only increases the value of the 16th pick if Jackson were to be available.

Next: NFL Draft: 3 reasons the Ravens should draft Lamar Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens will be the most unpredictable team in this NFL Draft. Last year surprised a lot of people with four defensive selections in a row. While I doubt the Ravens would have the gall to do that again, don’t think for a second that anyone really knows which prospect the Ravens want the most.

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