Last season, the Baltimore Ravens' nonexistent pass rass rush was a major reason for their underwhelming 8-9 season. In the offseason, Eric DeCosta has ensured this won't be a problem again by hiring defensive mastermind Jesse Minter and signing Trey Henderickson.
DeCosta might not be done yet, though, as the Ravens have often been linked to Missouri edge rusher Zion Young leading up to the NFL Draft. Young is one of the prospects that the Ravens have brought in for a top 30 visit, and he could help elevate their defense to a truly elite level.
Drafting Zion Young could make a lot of sense for the Baltimore Ravens
Young is widely regarded as one of the premier edge rushers in the class. At 6-foot-6, 262 pounds, he has elite NFL size and proved to be an elite run stopper in college, racking up 16.5 tackles for loss. He is also a solid pass rusher, recording 6.5 sacks at Mizzou.
Despite Hendrickson being a clear difference maker, he could use a true running mate for the Ravens to reach their ceiling.
The tandem of Hendrickson and Young could transform the Ravens' once weak front-seven into an undeniable strength. Hendrickson's ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks, paired with Young's impressive run-stopping, could make this duo a perfect fit, and this possibility should make rival teams anxious.
The best Ravens' teams have always had a fierce defense, and it would make sense to go all in on this identity under Minter. All in all, Young would be an ideal fit for the Ravens, assuming they address some of their other pressing needs elsewhere in the draft.
The Ravens have several pathways to drafting Young
Now, Young is projected to be anywhere from a late first-round pick to even an early third-round pick.
If Young drops to pick 45, it's fair to believe that he would be toward the top of Baltimore's board. Depending on the intel from other teams in the league, it's possible that the Ravens would have to trade up into the earlier second round to draft Young.
With 11 picks, the Ravens will have to trade up at some point (hopefully), and this feels like the perfect range to make a move -- especially if they believe Young can help their defense reach another level.
While there have been a few hiccups, the Ravens have had a rock-solid offseason so far, and there's no denying their defense projects to be significantly better. An opportunity to further bolster this strength in the draft with Young could be something the Ravens can't pass up on. If the Ravens do land Zion Young in the draft, their defense could suddenly become a Super Bowl-level strength.
Add us as a preferred source on Google