Baltimore Ravens go with high upside in drafting Tavius Robinson

On Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens entered with just three selections. General manager Eric DeCosta knew he had to make those picks count, and he did so with the first of the trio.

In the fourth round, DeCosta and the Ravens drafted Ole Miss pass rusher Tavius Robinson, filling a definite need for the team. It is sometimes difficult to gauge between filling a need or drafting the best player available, but DeCosta did a good job here trying to do both.

Robinson enters the league as a rangy, athletic pass rusher with tremendous length. This was a total Ravens pick, and fans should be excited about Robinson's potential within a defense like Baltimore's.

Tavius Robinson offers the Baltimore Ravens defense yet another exciting, athletic player with speed and smarts

At 6-foot-6 and weighing 257 pounds, Robinson is definitely going to have to put on some more weight, filling out that tall frame of his. He has some room to add a good 15-20 pounds of healthy weight, if he can manage.

But, just as a raw prospect, Robinson has some likable traits. He's a very smart player who goes into each snap with a wide array of pass rush moves. He doesn't just have one or two techniques he uses, but is a crafty pass rusher who can do it all, maybe except for a bull rush, of course.

From the Ravens' perspective, Robinson is likely viewed solely as a pass rusher. He's not going to help much against the run, unless he is able to put on that additional weight. He'll get pushed around when defending the run. But, if he's asked to go get the quarterback, Robinson is a good bet.

He's not just a great pass rusher, in terms of sacks, but Robinson goes for the jugular. He wants to disrupt the play altogether, forcing fumbles and changing the direction of games. Last year, Robinson totaled 7.0 tackles for loss with 6.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, two passes defended and a couple of recoveries.

Baltimore got a jack-of-all-trades type of pass rusher, here, in the fourth round. He not only fills a need, but if he continues to develop, Robinson has the potential to be an every-down player.