Baltimore Ravens NFL Draft: Top 7 Targets at the Start of Day 2

Just like that we’re looking forward to the second day of the NFL Draft for the Baltimore Ravens:

The Baltimore Ravens selected Patrick Queen at 28th overall in Night one of the NFL Draft on Thursday, and with two second-round picks and two third-round picks in hand, they could have even more fun on the second night. With several projected first-round talents still on the board, here’s seven top targets the Ravens should consider as the draft re-opens on Friday.

Laviska Shenault Jr. (WR): Jalen Reagor and Brandon Aiyuk both proved that there was fire with their first-round smoke, but it appears teams weren’t quite as sold on Shenault. The Ravens should be, though, as he fits perfectly into what the Ravens want to do. Part of his ranking also has to do with the fact that he has a strong chance of being on the board when the Ravens go back on the clock, as other potential first-round receivers ended up falling into the Day 2 mix. If he’s there when Baltimore goes on the clock at 55, DeCosta should send the pick in immediately and never look back.

AJ Epenesa (EDGE): The odds that Epenesa will be there when the Ravens go back on the clock are slim to none, but he stands out as someone the Ravens could go up and get by trading up from one of their second-round spots. Epenesa plays like a Raven, and the Baltimore defense is one of the few in the league that could maximize his talent despite his “tweener” status as a lineman caught between a true EDGE frame and that of a traditional interior defensive lineman. Epenesa was once talked about as a potential Top 10 pick in this year’s draft, and still has plenty of upside.

Neville Gallimore (DT): If the top pass rushers all go off the board before 55, Gallimore would provide the Ravens with an immediate pocket-mover along the defensive line, offering a very different look inside than Brandon Williams. Adding Gallimore to a group that already includes Calais Campbell, Derek Wolfe, and Matthew Judon along the defensive front would allow Patrick Queen to feast as a pass rusher against opposing quarterbacks.

Michael Pittman Jr./Denzel Mims/Tee Higgins (WR): It’s a safe bet that at least one or two of that the Ravens won’t have their choice of all three of these players in the second round, but there’s a good chance that at least one falls into their lap. If Shenault goes earlier than expected, Baltimore will be happy to take any one of this trio to pair with Marquise Brown.

J.K. Dobbins (RB): Dobbins would make a great addition to the Ravens rushing game, and could very well be available given that only one running back came off the board in Round 1. It may not be a true “need,” but with Mark Ingram aging and Gus Edwards on a one-year ERFA tag, Dobbins would give Baltimore a quality complimentary piece in 2020 and a clear option to take the reigns at running back in 2021 and beyond.

Jeremy Chinn (S):  It’s unlikely that Xavier McKinney, Grant Delpit, or Antoine Winfield Jr. reach the Ravens, but Jeremy Chinn could very well be in play given how many safeties are still on the board at the start of Day two. Chinn has been labeled a “poor man’s Isaiah Simmons” by many, in that he’s a strong “match up player” that can also play in the box or in a more traditional safety role. The Ravens do have Chuck Clark to do some of that already, but Chinn is better in coverage, and Don Martindale could certainly figure out creative and effective ways to get both of them on the field with Earl Thomas.

Josh Uche (EDGE): Uche has real speed off the edge, and would pair with Queen to give the Ravens defense a pair of new front seven pieces that can absolutely get after the quarterback. Baltimore blitzed more than any other team in 2019, but finished just 21st in team sacks with 37.

Surely Campbell, Wolfe, and Queen will fix some of that, but putting Uche into that mix as well would help get the Ravens back to having the kind of unstoppable defense they’ve historically been known for.