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Kiper Gives Baltimore Ravens LB, WR, OL in 2020 NFL Draft mock 4.0

By Michael Natelli

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 13: Linebacker Patrick Queen #8 of the LSU Tigers celebrates after making a tackle during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. LSU defeated Clemson 42 to 25. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 13: Linebacker Patrick Queen #8 of the LSU Tigers celebrates after making a tackle during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. LSU defeated Clemson 42 to 25. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 13: Linebacker Patrick Queen #8 of the LSU Tigers celebrates after making a tackle during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. LSU defeated Clemson 42 to 25. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 13: Linebacker Patrick Queen #8 of the LSU Tigers celebrates after making a tackle during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. LSU defeated Clemson 42 to 25. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his Mock Draft 4.0, this time going through the second round with his projections. For the Ravens, that means picks 28, 55, and 60, so let’s take a look at how things played out for Baltimore.

Pick 28: Patrick Queen, Linebacker (LSU)

This one is hardly a surprise for Ravens fans. Kiper gave Kenneth Murray to the Jaguars at 20th overall, leaving Queen as the clear option if Baltimore was addressing the linebacker spot first.

With LJ Fort as the only middle linebacker on the roster at the moment, there’s a clear need, and the value-need blend makes this a true Ravens pick. Perhaps the only eyebrow the pick will raise is that Henry Ruggs fell to 21st overall, and there’s certainly a contingent of Ravens fans that would be calling for the Ravens to move up and grab him if that scenario played out. Kiper did not mock any trades in this scenario, though, so that was a non-option.

The argument could be made that with Fort in the fold, using the 28th pick on a linebacker isn’t a great roster value for a defense that has increasingly moved away from linebacker-dependent schemes and packages. Players like Denzel Mims (who our Chris Schisler loves), AJ Epenesa, or even Grant Delipt could be in play, and will likely at least garner real consideration if the board played out similarly next week. But Queen has the talent to become one of the league’s best, and strong linebacker play has always been a Baltimore staple. Hard to argue with this one.

Grade: A

Still on the board at 28: Denzel Mims, D’Andre Swift, Grant Delpit, AJ Epenesa, Yetur Gross-Matos, Ross Blacklock

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