3. Ronnie Stanley
This is fairly simple. Stanley is a good left tackle and the left tackle spot is a premium position. The Ravens drafted Stanley to play left tackle and he did it right away. He didn’t start at right tackle and then move over. He didn’t have to grow into the position. He was a plug and play starter from the get go. Stanley has missed five games in three seasons and his importance has been felt in each of those five games. Stanley is an essential part of the offensive line.
The left tackle position has always been one of the most important positions in football. It’s one of the top three things every team looks for when building the roster. In the NFL you want an elite pass rusher, a young quarterback with endless promise and a left tackle to protect said quarterback. That’s the main three elements of the formula. Because Stanley fills a spot that has been up and down ever since Jonathan Ogden retired in 2007, Stanley is easily a building block player.
If the Ravens hadn’t drafted Ronnie Stanley with the sixth overall pick in 2016, they could still be looking for the right left tackle. When the Ravens drafted Stanley he filled a need. He made an immediate impact. The Ravens have had many problems on offense in Stanley’s career but Stanley has never been one of them. He is a good player at a pivotal position.