Michael Natelli:
Maybe the new era of the Lamar Jackson Ravens lured me away for a while, because going defense in Round 1 was a tough sell for me for a long time. But Murray’a combination of talent, character, and roster fit just make him way too perfect a pick here. Plenty of great options should be available, but Murray is the ideal.
First, how can you not want a player nicknamed “the Canadian Bulldozer”?
Gallimore may not fall to 55, but these are ideal picks. Gallimore earns the nickname, showing an ability to move the pocket and be a physical, disruptive interior defender. He also gives the Ravens a second quality prospect from beloved Oklahoma to add to the defense.
In an ideal world, Higgins falls, and gives the Ravens a bargain with as much upside as any receiver in the class. The Ravens could also opt to pick a receiver with pick 28 or 55, but the ideal scenario is that player like Higgins is there at 60..
Mike Reid‘s Ideal first three picks:
The dream scenario for the Ravens with their first three picks would be to come away with three starting caliber players at three positions of need. They do exactly that here with grabbing the trio of Kenneth Murray, Michael Pittman Jr, and Robert Hunt.
Murray or “K9” starts day-1 in the middle of the Ravens defense. He is a down-hill attacking linebacker, with elite sideline-to-sideline speed and blitzing ability. Murray will need to be coached up to make his processing a little better. He is a born-leader though, that will command the locker-room when he arrives in Baltimore.
If Pittman Jr is there at 55, it’s a no-brainer the Ravens pick him. He is as complete and as polished a receiver
there is in this class. He is a big-bodied guy who can make spectacular contested catches, runs crisp routes, has hands like glue, and will block in the run game. Pittman would start at the X-receiver position as a rookie and is a perfect complement to Marquise Brown.
The Ravens grab one-more starter in Louisiana’s Robert Hunt, as he plugs in at the vacant right guard spot. Hunt is a mountain of man and an absolute road grater in the run game. He fits perfectly in the Ravens run-scheme. He played both right tackle and guard in college so he does give position flexibility also. Think of former Raven Kelechi Osemele here, in Robert Hunt.