3 players Ravens should draft to increase Super Bowl Odds

It’s been a pretty quiet offseason for the Baltimore Ravens… you know other than that thing with their quarterback.

Oh, and signing Odell Beckham Jr. and getting an F for their strength and training staff on the players association report cards after multiple seasons lost to constant injuries.

But other than that, it’s been quiet in Baltimore. 

With nothing else to talk about we turn our attention to the draft where the Ravens hold the 22nd overall pick.

There’s a chance that we see a Lamar Jackson trade heading up to the draft or on draft night and that will tank their Super Bowl odds, so for now let’s assume they patch things up with their franchise quarterback. If so, these are the draft picks that can boost their Super Bowl odds for 2024. 

Ravens Super Bowl odds

Baltimore Ravens 2023 Draft Targets

• Nolan Smith
• Zay Flowers
• Joey Porter Jr. 

Nolan Smith - EDGE Georgia

This would be such a Baltimore Ravens first-round selection. In a year where the Ravens have done so many out of character things, this would bring a sense of familiarity and normalcy to the team and the fans. It would also be an awesome pick. Smith is tailormade 3-4 outside linebacker with unbelievable athleticism.

He is a bit undersized at 6-foot-2 238 lbs, but he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, the fastest of any front seven defender at the combine this year. The last edge rusher to run a time in the 4.3s was Odage Oweh, who would be playing opposite Smith. 

The Ravens defensively have always been built around generating pressure from their edges and Smith would be next in line. Right now, they have Oweh and David Ojabo, so Smith would fit perfectly as another young, athletic, edge rusher to torment the rest of the AFC North for years. 

Zay Flowers - WR Boston College

Yes, Baltimore fans, I’m giving you a receiver here. The Ravens do still need speed at receiver, even with the addition of OBJ. Rashod Bateman and OBJ will play outside and Flowers would fit perfectly in the slot.

He’s an undersized field stretch who can really run, 4.42 40-yard dash at 5-foot-9 and 182 lbs. He can also play outside, but would be a big upgrade from Devin Duvernay in the slot. 

Flowers can be a deep threat from the slot which fits well with Lamar Jackson who loves to throw over the middle of the field. However, his super power is his ability to maintain speed through his breaks and will be a fluid separator over the middle intermediate part of the field. He can also give the Ravens a lot in terms of RAC which they don’t particularly have on their roster. 

Not to mention a first-round receiver might make your very unhappy franchise quarterback crack at least a bit of a smile on draft night. 

Joey Porter Jr. - CB Penn State

This pick would serve to not only fill the Raven’s need at corner opposite Marlon Humphrey, but would also serve as a middle finger to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That is not the reason to make a first-round selection, but is a nice little cherry on top.

Porter Jr. can tie his shoes without bending over with an 81 inch wingspan on his 6-foot-2 frame. He’s long, physical, and athletic, perfectly made to play press man on the outside. The Ravens would be building a frightening secondary with Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton and Porter Jr. 

The Ravens were ravaged by injuries in the secondary, but that meant they got a look at most of the corners on their roster. That means they’re as aware as anyone that they can’t rely on any of them after Marcus Peters departed in free agency. 

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