2020 NFL Draft: 3 pass rushers perfect for the Ravens

3. Darrell Taylor:

Darrell Taylor is a player who Ravens fans may want to keep an eye on. Taylor He has back to back seasons with eight sacks on his resume. Taylor had double digit tackles for loss the past two seasons. Here’s an impressive statistic for you, he’s forced six fumbles and he’s recovered four fumbles in his time with Tennessee. He has great length and a fairly ideal 6’4″ build.

Felix Davila from With The First Pick wrote an article explaining why Taylor was the sleeper edge of the 2020 NFL Draft. This is what Davila had to say about Taylor:  

"“Darrell Taylor, a redshirt senior, is one of the longest-tenured players on the University of Tennessee football roster. With over 40 games of experience, including 24 starts, Taylor has grown tremendously from his athletic beginnings in Hopewell, Virginia… While the Volunteers had a sub par season, Taylor has had a good year. “"

One of the costs of the Ravens having a 14-2 record with nothing to show for it in the playoffs was putting them all the way to the 28th pick. Taylor has eye-popping talent and he could be a player who could be available near the end of the first round. When I watched Taylor’s snaps against BYU and Georgia, I liked what I saw. He looks the part, he is experienced and he has a lot of upside. Here is what Davila said about Taylor’s strengths: 

"“The Vols Darrell Taylor is a physical freak in many contexts of the word. Not only does he boast an NFL frame, but his athleticism is obvious from the moment he steps on the field. Off the line of scrimmage, he displays exceptional acceleration.”"

Taylor seems like a player that would match what the Ravens needs. If there is one thing the Ravens need it’s speed in the pass rushing department. The Ravens edge rushers lacked explosiveness outside of Judon in 2019. Taylor could add some fire to the pass rush in Baltimore. Because he is so experienced he could come into the NFL more pro ready than some of his competition in this draft class. There seems to be an awful lot of positives here.

The one thing the Ravens need to find is a difference maker. I will scream it from the mountain tops if I must, but it’s a point that must be drilled in. The Ravens need a player who allows them to get more pass rush without needing to send the blitz. Finding the right edge rusher in the draft can have a huge and long lasting impact on the franchise. Baltimore has seen that first hand with players like Peter Boulware and Terrell Suggs. Finding the next great pass rusher is an absolute objective for the Ravens this April. These three prospects are three players the Ravens have to keep tabs on.