The 2021 NFL Draft is almost here. This is your Baltimore Ravens draft preview:
The Baltimore Ravens are slated to make nine selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. These are the picks that general manager, Eric DeCosta currently has to work with.
- 27th pick overall (1st round)
- 31st pick overall (1st round)
- 94th pick overall (3rd round)
- 104th pick overall (3rd round)
- 131st pick overall (4th round)
- 136th pick overall (4th round)
- 171st pick overall (5th round)
- 184th pick overall (5th round)
- 210th pick overall (6th round)
The Baltimore Ravens have four picks in the top 100. That means the Ravens have a lot of options for the first two nights. The Baltimore Ravens have the flexibility to trade up into the first round with their two first-round picks.
They also have the ability to get into the second round multiple ways. They could either trade one of their first-round picks and move back into the second round, or they could use some of their later draft capital to move up into the second round. The Ravens have nine picks right now. Through deals with other teams that number could go up or down.
The Baltimore Ravens have three pressing needs and some secondary ones as well. First, the Ravens need to improve their pass-rushing situation. Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue left the Purple and Black in free agency. Before the major losses in free agency, the Ravens needed to improve the pass rush. Now it’s absolutely imperative.
Three prospects to watch for when it comes to edge rushers are Azeez Ojulari, Kwity Paye, and Gregory Rosseau.
Along the offensive line, the Ravens need answers at two spots. The Orlando Brown Jr. trade has left the Ravens with a gaping hole at right tackle, while Baltimore also needs to consider drafting a center.
Some prospects to watch for on the offensive line are Landon Dickerson, Creed Humphrey, Tevin Jenkins, Alex Leatherwood, Samuel Cosmi, and Liam Eichenberg.
The third major need for the Ravens is at wide receiver. The Ravens don’t have a number one receiver. If the Ravens had the opportunity to pick a player like Rashod Bateman from Minnesota they shouldn’t hesitate. They should make the upgrade and pick him. If he falls to the Raven with the 27th overall pick, he would provide mind-numbingly great value.
Other receivers to watch for include Terrace Marshall Jr., Kadarius Toney, and potentially even Elijah Moore.
3 predictions for the Baltimore Ravens draft:
1. The Ravens trade back with one of their first-round picks
The Baltimore Ravens care about the amount of value they can bring in with the draft class. The draft board could fall in one of two ways. On one hand, the Ravens could see two players they couldn’t possibly pass on in the first round.
The most probable path, however, is that the Ravens see first-round leftovers they’re going to be happy with. If this happens, trading out of either the 27th pick or the 31st will probably occur. The best-case scenario would see the Ravens trading the 27th pick because it has a bit more value than the 31st.
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Let’s just say a team offers an early second-round pick with a fifth-rounder as well. That’s two more picks for the Ravens to play with. If they trade back, they know what they can target with their new picking position. It seems like almost a foregone conclusion that one of those picks is getting traded on Thursday night, though we’ll have to wait and see.
2. Baltimore double-dips at edge rushers.
When the Ravens lost Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue, they lost two very different players. Ngakoue is more of a pure pass rusher while Judon did a bit of everything and was better against the run. The Ravens don’t just need pass rushers, they need a couple of different things for this position group.
Technically, Tyus Bowser could be the Matt Judon replacement. He’s already more of a linebacker than a pass rusher. Other than Tyus Bowser the Ravens don’t have much young talent to bank on at this position. The Ravens will draft two players who will be classified as an Edge player. One of them will be a pin their ears back and get the quarterback kind of player, the other will be a more well-rounded outside linebacker.
3. At least two of the Ravens picks won’t address an obvious need:
The Baltimore Ravens always have been a best player available kind of team. There will be picks that don’t change the outlook for the Ravens immediately or perhaps aren’t on the list of the Ravens’ top needs. DeCosta is a team builder, he’s thinking more than just one season at a time.
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.