Ravens build the trenches in a BIG way in 7-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft
By Justin Fried
Round 3, 76th Overall, Ravens: Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC
Edge rusher is an underrated need for the Ravens this offseason. With Tyus Bowser recovering from a torn Achilles and Justin Houston hitting free agency, the Ravens will need to add a player to two to their outside linebacker corps.
USC’s Drake Jackson is an intriguing developmental edge rusher with the athletic traits to excel as a pass rusher in a 3-4. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Jackson has excellent length that he uses to beat opposing offensive tackles around the edge.
He’s still a little unrefined as a pass rusher as he tended to win more with speed and athleticism in college, but the Ravens proved that they have no issues drafting a high-upside “project” at the position last year.
Pairing Jackson with Odafe Oweh would give the Ravens two athletic, high-ceiling pass rushers to build around on defense.
Round 3, 99th Overall, Ravens: Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska
The Ravens learned last season that you can never have too many quality defensive backs. Expect that to heavily influence how they go about addressing the position this offseason, especially with Anthony Averett likely to depart.
Nebraska’s Cam Taylor-Britt is an intriguing developmental cornerback prospect who has the traits and talent to compete for reps early in his career.
At 6-foot, 205 pounds, Taylor-Britt has good length and he hits like a strong safety. Probably better in zone than man coverage, Taylor-Britt makes sense for a Mike Macdonald defense that should feature more zone schemes than his predecessor.
Taylor-Britt could develop for a year behind Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters before hopefully taking over as a full-time starter in 2023, perhaps as Peters’ replacement.