Ravens: 5 possible ripple effects from Odell Beckham Jr. signing
By Ryan Heckman
Possible ripple effects from Ravens signing Odell Beckham Jr.: Baltimore drafts cornerback high
One of the Ravens' pain points last year was their inability to stop the opposing passing attacks. And, in the AFC, you better be able to do that if you want to contend. Baltimore finished the 2022 regular season giving up the 7th-most passing yards on a per-game basis.
This is one of the main reasons why cornerback is a top need for the team going into the draft. Before signing Beckham, and potentially knowing that Jackson is sticking around for this season, Baltimore could have gone one of several different options in the first round.
Now, sitting with the 22nd pick, Baltimore could end up having their pick of a couple first-round corners if they so choose. One of those that might be there for them is South Carolina's Cam Smith. At 6-foot-1 and boasting a long, athletic profile, Smith is labeled as one of the late-first type of prospects. He ran a solid 4.43 at the Combine, along with notching an overwhelming 11'2" in the broad jump.
Other than Smith, the Ravens could get lucky if Penn State's Joey Porter Jr. falls to them. If he's there, Porter has to be the pick. He exemplifies a lot of what the Ravens defense wants to be about, and it would be pretty sweet for Baltimore to draft the son of their former rival, Joey Porter Sr.