Competition for Ravens No. 3 safety has a frontrunner after John Harbaugh comments

The Baltimore Ravens' competition for the third safety spot may not sound like the most rip-roaring piece of football analysis in the world to the uneducated casual fan, but Ravens fans who saw the impact their third safety had on the overall defense last year know how important it is to nail the starting pick.

With Geno Stone on the Bengals, the leading candidate to slide into his spot as a replacement is former TCU star Ar'Darius Washington. After spending the last few years as a special teamer, Washington is ready to show the world he could

The Ravens will give seventh-round pick Sanoussi Kane and undrafted free agent Beau Brade a shot at unseating him. However, the latest quotes from head coach John Harbaugh make it seem like Washington is currently an overwhelming favorite.

"Ar'Darius has looked really good. I feel great about him," Harbaugh said, via the team's official website. "He's already established himself. He's played in the games – every game he's played in – he's played well. He's looked great in practice, and let's get him out there and get him in some more games. That's the goal."

Ar'Darius Washington favorite for Baltimore Ravens' No. 3 safety job

Kane has some intriguing measurables, but his iffy coverage results at Purdue might make it tough to give him snaps in his rookie season. Brade is one of the best UDFAs out there, but his lack of truly elite range will present some problems for a Baltimore team that asks their DBs to cover a ton of ground.

Washington's pro career has been an exercise in frustration, as injuries have often deprived the preseason star of consistent reps in the regular season. After three seasons, Washington has just eight games and a handful of tackles to his game. It's also rare to see many 5-8, 177-pound true safeties in the NFL.

Even with all of those concerns circling overhead, Washington has the upper hand. With an aggressive mindset and good speed, Washington offers the versatility needed for the third safety role. While he can't pick the ball off like Stone, there's room for Washington to be more of a Swiss Army knife.

Washington has been on the edge of a cliff for his entire pro career, as any downward tick in performance could have been enough to get him booted out of town. Instead, the Ravens have put him in a position to become a starter just a few years after his UDFA shot.