The Baltimore Ravens continued adding to what has been regarded by many as one of the best classes in the 2024 NFL Draft, following the selections of Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins at No. 30 overall and Washington offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten at pick No. 62 by taking Penn State defensive end Adisa Isaac at No. 93 overall.
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta is always willing to both take a chance on a speedy pass rusher in the middle rounds and simultaneously eschew positional needs if a very talented player takes a bit of a fall. With Isaac projected by few to last until the late third round, DeCosta jumped at the chance.
The Ravens have some offensive holes that still need to be addressed, but DeCosta has more than enough ammunition to address them on Day 3 of the festivities. The defensive line lost Jadeveon Clowney in the offseason, and it was imperative that one more impactful name was brought on for the long haul.
If the Ravens get the most out of Isaac, it's not unreasonable to think he could eventually become a long-term starter in Zach Orr's defense.
.@A1Isaac1, You are a Raven❗ pic.twitter.com/1YF14EVhWb
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 27, 2024
Ravens NFL Draft grade for Adisa Isaac selection: B+
Isaac records 11.5 sacks during his final two years at Penn State alongside Chop Robinson. With some of the best pure speed of any pass rusher in this class and a nonstop motor that will help him make life tough for opposing quarterbacks, Isaac has a fairly high floor in the pros.
The Ravens needed to select one more pass-rusher at some point in this draft, and they managed to do that without trading up. Not only did they get a quality athlete, but his experience and deep bag of pass rush moves could help him be more productive than most Day 2 pass rushers as a rookie.
The negatives that led to Isaac's mini-fall stem from his overall body type. A smaller player who will likely never be a terrific run-defender in the pros, some have concerns about Isaac's ability to disengage from blocks and become more than a passing-down-exclusive speed rusher.
If nothing else, the Ravens picked a Top-75 talent far below where he was projected to be picked. His speed will translate to the pros, and he will play a big part in turning around a Ravens pass rush that is missing their biggest name from last year. Not too bad for a player that was snagged up this late.