Ravens draft: Ranking every draft class in the AFC North

The good news is that the Ravens had a great draft. The bad news is that it was a mostly good NFL Draft weekend for every AFC North team. Here is a ranking of the draft class for each team in Baltimore’s division:

1. Baltimore Ravens: Draft Grade A

Best pick: Patrick Queen LB, LSU (28th overall)

Biggest steal: Malik Harrison LB, Ohio State (98th overall)

Worst pick: Broderick Washington DL, Texas Tech (170th overall)

The Baltimore Ravens had the best draft class in the AFC North. The Ravens walked into the 2020 NFL Draft as elite contenders. They walked away from the draft with 10 players, most of which will help them right away. The Ravens boosted the defense in this draft. They made their weakness at inside linebacker vanish. Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison are instant impact rookies who will grow together in the middle of the defense.

The offense got a lot of help as well. J.K. Dobbins has the potential to be one of the best running backs in the league in a couple of seasons. Devin Duvernay and James Proche aren’t bad picks at the wide receiver position. The value the Ravens got was why they get the top class in the AFC North. The Ravens didn’t need much and they got a lot.

2. Cincinnati Bengals: Draft grade A

Best pick: Joe Burrow QB, LSU (1st overall)

Biggest steal: Markus Bailey (215th overall)

Worst pick: Khalid Kareem (147th overall)

More from Ebony Bird

The Bengals didn’t really have a misfire in this draft. Their worst pick is Khalid Kareem. He’s a player I’m not high on yet he’s got traits and he could develop into a decent pass rusher. The fact is the Bengals got a solid pick in every round. Joe Burrow gives them hope at the quarterback position. Burrow got a big weapon in Tee Higgins.

The Bengals also added a couple of rock solid linebackers. Hakeem Adeniji is an offensive tackle who can play guard as well. He’s a nice project for the offensive line they can probably develop into a starter before his rookie contract is up. The Bengals roster actually looks pretty sharp. They have hope.

3. Cleveland Browns: Draft Grade B+

Best Pick: Nick Harris IOL, Washington (160th overall pick)

Biggest steal: Donovan Peoples-Jones WR, Michigan (187th overall pick)

Worst pick: Jordan Elliott DL, Missouri (88th overall)

Since when did the Browns get good at the NFL Draft? This was a very good draft for them. They got a top 10 player in Jedrick Wills. The Browns probably found another starter for the offensive line late in the draft as Nick Harris was a complete steal for them.

Donovan People-Jones is as high profile of a sixth round pick as you’re going to get. If Shea Patterson wasn’t an awful quarterback at Michigan, Peoples-Jones probably would have been a third round pick. Other than what I considered to be a reach on Elliott, the Browns aced this draft and got a lot better.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers: Draft Grade C +

Best Pick: Anthony McFarland RB, Maryland (124th overall pick)

Biggest Steal: Antoine Brooks S, Maryland (189th overall pick)

Worst Pick: Alex Highsmith LB, Charlotte (102nd overall pick)

The Steelers didn’t get to pick until the second night of the draft. Their first pick was a misfire. Chase Claypool wasn’t a receiver who I thought should have gone in the second round. He’s got potential but was probably the most raw of the receivers that got taken on day two of the NFL Draft.

Ravens don't draft an edge rusher: 3 big things. dark. Next

They got their bad picks out of the way after their next pick of Alex Highsmith. I honestly didn’t even have him on my board. Either I missed something or the Steelers went all the way out in left field. The two players the Steelers took out of Maryland were very good additions to their roster. Kevin Dotson was another steal for them. The Steelers had a rough start but had a really impressive back half of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Home/Ravens Draft

Ravens Draft: Ranking the draft class of each AFC North team

By Chris Schisler | Apr 26, 2020