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Baltimore Ravens don’t draft an edge rusher: 3 big things

By Chris Schisler

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a pick by the Baltimore Ravens (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a pick by the Baltimore Ravens (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – SEPTEMBER 29: General manager Eric DeCosta of the Baltimore Ravens looks on from the sidelines against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – SEPTEMBER 29: General manager Eric DeCosta of the Baltimore Ravens looks on from the sidelines against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

3. The Ravens didn’t force it:

Do you remember the 2017 NFL Draft class? The Ravens took two outside linebackers. Tyus Bowser is starting to become a solid player yet Tim Williams isn’t even in Baltimore anymore. That year the Ravens forced it and it didn’t pay off. The Ravens didn’t repeat that mistake in the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s something you really have to respect about DeCosta. Instead of taking a pass rusher his board didn’t dictate, he let value fall to him at other positions. That was the main takeaway from this draft. Value fell to the Ravens and they let it.

This wasn’t a great draft for the edge rushers. Outside of Chase Young there were a lot of boom or bust prospects. I would have loved the Ravens to take a chance on a player like Curtis Weaver, Bradlee Anae or even Kenny Willekes. These are all players I have talked about leading up to the draft. That being said, if the Ravens weren’t in love with these prospects you can’t fault them.

It’s not like they made an unforgivably bad pick in this draft. Queen was a steal. J.K. Dobbins was a steal. Harrison was a steal. Ben Bredeson was a steal. Geno Stone was a perfect score. The Ravens took players in spots of the draft where the values were hard to argue with.

Ravens draft Devin Duvernay: 3 big things. dark. Next

Sometimes drafting for need gets you in trouble. Taking the best player available doesn’t always get you what you need, but having too many good players isn’t a problem the coaching staff is going to mind. Give the Ravens credit. Everybody thought they had to take a chance on a edge rusher. They had the courage to go about it differently and it looks like it might pay off.

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