Let’s look back at the drafts going back all the way to 2016. Who were the three most important players?
One way to evaluate a team’s drafts is to look at the core players that come from each draft class. Ideally, an NFL general manager wants to walk out of each draft with at least one pick that is a building block for the future. Today we’re going scavenger hunting for the three most important building blocks that Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta have put in place in the recent drafts. A good starting point is criteria.
A building block is a draft pick that is a key ingredient in the future success of the team. They are players that are promising and are players that the team can build around. The Ravens have been very busy in the past four drafts. They have drafted 30 players through this span of time. Listing the three most important players of this group isn’t going to be easy.
We’re also looking for the three most important players. This doesn’t necessarily mean the three best players. It means the three players that have the most to do with the blueprint of the team the Ravens are building. A player like Tavon Young is a great player, but he isn’t a building block player. Building block players fill premium positions or help create the identity of the team. With all of this in mind, let’s take a look at the three most important players from the past four drafts.