Devin Lloyd is the ‘perfect pick’ for the Ravens in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Justin Fried
The Baltimore Ravens are likely eyeing a number of different prospects with their first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but at least one analyst believes Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd is the obvious target for Baltimore.
NFL.com’s Adam Rank recently released a 2022 NFL Mock Draft where he had the Ravens adding Lloyd with the No. 14 overall pick in the draft.
Rank went on to explain how Lloyd was the “perfect pick” for the Ravens and insisted that he just “should be a Raven.” Given the team’s need at the linebacker position, the pairing does make plenty of sense.
Lloyd is in the conversation to be the top linebacker in this year’s class, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Ravens target him in the first round.
Devin Lloyd makes sense as a draft target for the Ravens
A former three-star safety recruit, Lloyd transitioned to linebacker upon arriving at Utah and it only took a few years for him to develop into one of the best linebackers in the nation.
Lloyd was named first-team All-Pac 12 in 2020 after leading his team in tackles and tackles for loss before putting together a phenomenal season in 2021 that saw him earn Consensus All-American honors on top of being named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
At 6-foot-2, 237 pounds, Lloyd is an excellent athlete who shows off his explosiveness whether he’s in coverage, filling gaps in run defense, or getting after the quarterback on a blitz.
But unlike how a player like fellow linebacker Patrick Queen was a bit raw and lacking in instincts coming out of college, Lloyd doesn’t have those same concerns. He blends his athleticism with a high football IQ that gives him both a high floor and a high ceiling at the NFL level.
The Ravens could look to bolster other positions early such as the offensive line, edge rusher, defensive line, or even cornerback. There’s something to be said about not wanting to draft an off-ball linebacker in the first round in two of the last three seasons.
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That said, Lloyd could be worth it. Rank is right: Devin Lloyd just feels like a future Raven.