Baltimore Ravens: 3 rookies who could miss out on the 53-man roster
By Joe Schiller
Zach Sieler
To no surprise, Ozzie Newsome’s last selection as general manager was a defensive tackle. After finding his Alabama player in the fourth round, this was the next check mark on the Bingo card.
Unless you did extensive draft research, Zach Sieler was not on your radar. Most Ravens fans had to fire up Google to figure out exactly who the seventh-round pick was. The Ferris State standout was a monster during his collegiate career and was named a consensus All-American during his sophomore and junior seasons. It’s not often a small school player declares early for the draft but Sieler did, showing confidence in his own ability.
This was more than a sentimental pick for Newsome. Sieler has shown flashes that he can play. How that will translate from the Division II level to the NFL has yet to be seen but it’s been done before. The Ravens pride themselves on finding small-school gems on the defensive side of the ball. More times than not, it’s worked in their favor and paid dividends.
Sieler, however, faces an uphill battle with one of the deepest positions on the roster. Brandon Williams, Michael Pierce, Willie Henry and Brent Urban command the interior defensive line. Not to mention Carl Davis and Chris Wormley will vie for valuable playing time.
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As talented as he may be, Sieler may fall victim to a crowded depth chart, a harsh reality of NFL football.