Baltimore Ravens NFL Draft preview: Needs, guesses and 10 sleepers

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 01: Azeez Ojulari #13 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after a sack during the second half of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 01: Azeez Ojulari #13 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after a sack during the second half of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
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Baltimore Ravens, NFL Draft
Jan 26, 2021; Mobile, Alabama, USA; National wide receiver Nico Collins of Michigan (4) grabs a pass in drills during National team practice during the 2021 Senior Bowl week. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Potential Sleepers for the Ravens:

In no particular order, here are 10 sleepers the Ravens could end up drafting. These are players who are either being overlooked by pundits, would count as a surprise pick, or can be taken later than they probably should be.

Hamsah Nasirildeen S (Florida State)

Everybody knows about Trevon Moehrig. If the Ravens took Moehrig at the end of the first round it wouldn’t shock anybody. He’s a safety who has great range. Another safety to have an eye on is Hamsah Nasirildeen. He’s from Florida State, which used to be a Colleg Football powerhouse.

I don’t think there is a better safety in this draft class with better instincts. He’s a play-maker with great speed. In 2019 he had over 100 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles.

I am very interested to see where Nasirildeen gets drafted. I have him as a first-round talent, but him falling into the second or third round wouldn’t be shocking. I believe he provides about the same value as Moehrig and is a lesser buzzed-about prospect.

Nico Collins WR (Michigan)

Collins is a receiver that I really like. The Michigan connection between John and Jim Harbaugh is always something to be mindful of. Collins is a player who could develop into what the Ravens hoped Miles Boykin would have.

Walker Little OT (Stanford)

Stanford isn’t exactly a small college football program. That being said, they’re not very strong right now. If The Cardinal was the power they used to be, Little would be looked at as a potential first-round pick. He’s a fundamentally sound tackle that in my opinion has the goods.

Patrick Johnson Edge (Tulane)

Two pass rushers are coming out of Tulane this year. The exciting one is Patrick Johnson. I have a second-round grade on him. That being said if he fell to the fourth or the fifth round in a fully stocked edge rusher class I wouldn’t be shocked. He could be the steal of the draft and he’s a great fit for Baltimore.

Trey Hill Center (Georgia) 

Hill is a big bruising center from one of the best SEC schools. I wouldn’t take him before the fourth round of the draft. Seeing as the Ravens have two fourths and two fifths, they could be in a position to take him where he should go as a developmental center.

Mustafa Johnson DT (Colorado)

This player has 15 sacks in three years at Colorado. He doesn’t have first-round traits, so I wasn’t expecting to like this prospect as much as I ended up liking him. This is a player with a high motor that is going to win some battles in the trenches. Think of him like a Timmy Jernigan mold player that you can get later on in the draft.

Malcolm Koonce Edge (Buffalo)

Koonce is a player that could be a lot like Yannick Ngakoue was coming out of Maryland. The Buffalo Bulls star is a lean pass rusher with good explosive traits. I think he’s a bit of a raw project, but one the Ravens could be interested in.

Dazz Newsome WR (UNC)

Newsome is a bit of an undersized receiver. While the Ravens would probably prefer his teammate Dyami Brown, Newsome was a productive player. He fits the mold for what we already know the Ravens like a wide receiver.

Tommy Tremble TE (Notre Dame)

Tommy Tremble is a player that looks a lot like Nick Boyle. He wasn’t very productive, though he has traits that could make him a good weapon for the offense. He’s a player who blocks like Boyle and has the athleticism of a Hayden Hurst. Would he be a surprise pick? Absolutely. Though the Ravens have to like him, he’s their type of player.

Brady Christensen OT (BYU) 

This is a huge offensive tackle. He looks the part and he’s solid enough that I think he may be the most underrated offensive tackle in this draft.

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