The Baltimore Ravens did not talk about Lamar Jackson during their pre-draft press conference, but of course, questions did come out that has fans wondering about the future without Jackson. One of the key quotes came from the Ravens brass saying they were comfortable drafting a quarterback this year.
It is one thing for them to say they have the top four quarterbacks graded high. Those guys will be gone by 22 and they could say they missed them and moved on. However, the Ravens talked about how deep the quarterback class is, and how they like that there are more than the top four guys to choose from.
With that in mind, here are three guys outside of the top four that may end up with the Baltimore Ravens.
3. Is Dorian Thompson-Robinson a great fit for the Baltimore Ravens
If the Baltimore Ravens wanted to take a smaller hedge on the Lamar Jackson contract discussions, the best name to add is Dorian Thompson-Robinson. DTR has a lot of things going for him that help his case to be drafted by Baltimore.
First, he can run an offense similar to Lamar Jackson. He struggles deep to the sidelines like Jackson, but they both can be accurate in the quick passing game. Thompson-Robinson is not quite as mobile but does have that shifty ability with his legs.
Beyond that, he has a lot of experience over five years with the UCLA Bruins. If Jackson does stay, he can come in and immediately compete with Tyler Huntley. He could push Huntley off of the roster, or at leats make him expendable.
Of course, if they lose Jackson, they could go with Huntley vs DTR to start. If the Ravens trade up four for Antony Richardson, Jackson will not be here. if they draft DTR, Jackson could still be here, or could get traded two minutes later. That is what makes him interesting.
2. Could Baltimore Ravens pivot to Aidan O'Connell?
Aidan O'Connell is interesting, and could be the signs of a pivot to a new offense. O'Connell is projected to be a fifth round pick, but if anyone from those middle rounds turns into an NFL starter, it may be him. He was excellent over the past two seasons, and pushed the Purdue passing game.
In that passing game he showed an understanding of NFL concepts and an ability to win from the pocket. Now, he is someone more polar opposite to Jackson because his knocks are that he does not have mobility, and struggles when the play breaks down.
Still, the Ravens could elect to have O'Connell as a backup plan and then use his cheap salary to build a more traditional offense around him. If Jackson comes back, they only invested a fifth round pick in O'Connell, and he may end up inactive on game days. Aidan O'Connell may not have a sky-high ceiling, but he can move the ball and is a capable NFL player. The Ravens could see him as someone worth drafting outside of that top four.
1. How high would Baltimore Ravens draft Hendon Hooker?
When the Baltimore Ravens said that they had more than the top four as potential starters in the NFL, all eyes shifted to Hendon Hooker. The issues with Hooker are apparent. He is only a few months younger than Lamar Jackson, so they really are only getting the cheaper salary.
Still, the reality is he probably will not start week one. The Ravens would like a solution for week one if they lose Lamar Jackson. Beyond that, the Tennessee offense had spread out splits becasue the hash marks are further apart in college, and the wide side of the field is much wider. Hooker and Tennessee rook advantage of that space .
So, for Hooker, the question is whether the Ravens can take that in the first round. Or, the question is if anyone can. Because, if he starts to fall, it is really easy to connect Hooker to Baltimore. He has the size, he has a big arm, and while he is not Lamar Jackson, he can move around a little more than someone like Hendon Hooker. It will be interesting to see how much smoke comes from Hooker to Baltimore after the Ravens brass made their comments in the pre-draft meetings.