NFL Draft 2018: Dream first-round picks for the Baltimore Ravens
By Joe Schiller
Brandon Deffet: Lamar Jackson QB, Louisville
“You may be surprised with who we pick at No. 16 – if we pick at 16.”
That quote from Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome really tells me all I need to know.
First off, it infers that the Ravens aren’t afraid to trade back, and with the way the first round is layered at wide receiver and tight end this year, that might be their best move. More importantly, it tells me that the Ravens are leaning toward using their first round selection on a position that doesn’t exactly fall under what most fans and the media would consider a “need” for the team.
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Lamar Jackson would give this franchise a spark that they’ve quite possibly never had. People will come to watch this kid play. He’s athletic, and he’s exciting. We all know he can make plays with his feet, and he made a big jump from his junior to senior year in terms of his accuracy and working the pocket. Learning behind a Super Bowl-winning veteran QB in Joe Flacco for a year or two is a pretty solid worst-case scenario.
If Ozzie gets the chance to draft a Heisman QB all the way at pick No. 16, I don’t think he’ll hesitate. This pick would bring fans back to the stadium on Sundays, and it could solidify the team’s most important position for the next ten years. It’s time to get excited.