The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2019 regular season with a record of 14-2, which was good enough to earn them the top seed in the American Football Conference (AFC). John Harbaugh was named the NFL’s Coach of the Year, while Lamar Jackson, who was in his second year as a quarterback, was named the Most Valuable Player of the Pro Bowl.
As a club, Baltimore led the National Football League with twelve players selected for the Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro performances, which was the most of any franchise. Nevertheless, it was defeated by the Tennessee Titans in the only playoff game that it played, which brought a premature stop to the team’s pursuit of a Super Bowl berth.
By selecting wide receiver Marquise Brown in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, Baltimore completed its roster. After that, in the third round, the Ravens picked defensive end Jaylon Ferguson and wide receiver Miles Boykin of the Baltimore Ravens. The Baltimore Ravens selected running back Justice Hill, lineman Ben Powers, quarterback Iman Marshall, defensive tackle Daylon Mack, and quarterback Trace McSorley in the latter stages of the draft.
The Ravens do not have a significant number of gaps in their roster, as stated by The MMQB’s AFC North team needs, but they may benefit from having more talented linebackers on their roster. There is also the possibility of a necessity related to defensive back.
Regarding the offence, Baltimore may also choose to make use of an early-round pick to acquire a wide receiver who plays on the periphery. Marshal Yanda, a guard who had been a member of the Pro Bowl for many years, also retired during this offseason, which created a possible void on the right side of the team’s line. Following the completion of the draft, a comprehensive list of Baltimore’s selections will be provided here.
Round 1, No. 30 overall: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
To my mind, The Ravens were unable to comprehend the fact that Wiggins, who was ranked among their top twenty players, was still available for selection at the twenty-first spot in the first round. Eric DeCosta, the general manager of the Ravens, rejected eight offers to trade back Wiggins because the team had such a strong affection for him.
Even though he was the second-fastest athlete at this year’s NFL combine, Wiggins only allowed receivers to gain 176 yards in the ten games that he played in during the previous season. He has the speed necessary to compete with similar players, such as Ja’Marr Chase, a receiver with the Bengals.
Wiggins and Brandon Stephens can play outside cornerback for the Ravens, while Marlon Humphrey, who is physically strong, may be moved into the slot position. A Baltimore defence that allowed the fewest points in the league during the previous season has made it even more difficult to move the ball around the football field.
During the previous season, Wiggins only allowed one pass that was longer than 20 yards. This is a good match for the Baltimore defence, who finished the previous season with the fewest yards per attempt (5.9) in the National Football League. Wiggins said, “I am the best corner in the draft,” after Baltimore selected him in the first round, which was the bottom of the group. “Tape speaks for itself.”
Not worried about his stature, Wiggins is just the second defensive back in the last 21 years to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft after weighing less than 175 pounds at the NFL combine. The Ravens said that his lack of weight did not hinder his performance. Harbaugh said, “When you watch the tape, he comes up and smacks people,” referring to the player. What he does is exactly that. The physical aspect of it is not something that he is at all frightened about. A full corner is what he is.
The following is what we are being told about Wiggins: “In my opinion, [he is] the best cover corner in the draft.” Exceptionally athletic, with wonderful feet. When it comes to corners, he has the potential to become a genuine shutdown-type corner. — Eric DeCosta, General Manager of the Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens must acquire an offensive lineman as their top priority with one of their two choices on Day 2 of the draft. During the second round, Baltimore is selected with the 62nd overall pick, and in the third round, they are selected with the 93rd overall pick. During the offseason, Baltimore’s offensive line suffered the loss of three starters, and the only player it signed as a free agent was Josh Jones, who was a backup.
Round 2, No. 62: Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington
A fortunate second round was the reason why the Baltimore Ravens were able to discover the appropriate tackle that they would employ as their starting position. Baltimore was able to get one of the most talented and agile right tackles in this draft even though they only chose two offensive linemen out of a total of 29 prospects on Friday night.
The 40-yard sprint was completed by Rosengarten in 4.92 seconds, which was the quickest speed of any offensive lineman at this year’s NFL combine. Additionally, it was the fastest speed of any 300-pounder regardless of position at the combine. Morgan Moses, who was moved to the New York Jets over the offseason, has been a starter for the last two years, and he is the favourite to fill the vacuum that he has left behind.
The most important statistic is that in two years as a starting right tackle, he did not allow any sacks (1,158 pass-blocking plays). Since the year 2022, this is the most pass block that any FBS lineman has made without allowing a sack to be taken. Following the Ravens’ decision to replace Moses, who had allowed a team-worst nine sacks, with Rosengarten, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, Lamar Jackson, should now have more peace of mind. How critical is it for Baltimore to ensure that Jackson is protected here? During the previous season, the Ravens had a perfect record of 8-0 when Jackson was sacked two times or less.
Round 3, No. 93: Adisa Isaac, Edge, Penn State
To my mind: As a result of the free agency departure of linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, the Baltimore Ravens addressed their pass rush with the addition of Isaac, who was the most effective edge player for Penn State. It was more than Chop Robinson, who was selected in the first round, who led the team in sacks with 7.5 and tackles for loss with 16 respectively.
However, why wasn’t Isaac selected higher in the draft? His performance of 4.74 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine placed him toward the bottom of the list of edge rushers. On the field, however, Isaac played at a quicker pace. On eleven per cent of his runs, he was able to produce pressure in less than two and a half seconds, which put him second in the FBS behind Ben Bell of Texas State. There have been three instances in the last four years in which Baltimore has selected an edge rusher in the first three rounds of the draft.
To be aware of the ties to the team: Isaac said that Odafe Oweh, an outside linebacker with the Ravens, was instrumental in recruiting him to Penn State. Isaac will now be joining Oweh in the National Football League as a member of the Baltimore pass rush rotation. Other members of this rotation include Kyle Van Noy and David Ojabo.
“We’re close,” Isaac remarked of his relationship with Oweh. “We love each other.” A significant factor that contributed to Baltimore’s dominance in the NFL with 60 sacks during the previous season was the team’s depth at the edge rusher position. “I like having fresh guys out there playing hard, especially at that position,” stated John Harbaugh, the coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
Round 4, No. 113 (via DEN/NYJ): Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina
To my mind, the Ravens are holding out hope that they have discovered their vertical danger. In the previous season, Walker recorded nine catches on throws thrown at least 20 yards, which was the most in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since he made his season debut on October 14th. This was even though he had some transfer eligibility difficulties.
In the previous season, wide receivers with the Baltimore Ravens had 16 catches on throws of 20 yards, which ranked 24th in the National Football League. Walker has a very high explosive potential. At this year’s combine, he was one of three wide receivers who had a 40-inch vertical and a 40-yard dash that were all below 4.4 seconds.
The other two wide receivers were Xavier Legette and Xavier Worthy, who were both selected in the first round. It is a favourite of the Ravens to address this position at this particular point in the draft. With Walker’s selection, Baltimore has matched for the second-most wide receivers picked in the fourth round since the Ravens’ inaugural draft in 1996. Walker is the ninth wide receiver to be selected by the Ravens. Brandon Stokley (1999) was the only player to ever make it to the starting lineup.
Round 4, No. 130: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
Mel Kiper Jr. describes this as “one of the steals of the draft.” I agree with these sentiments. On Kiper’s final rankings, Tampa was listed as the sixth-best cornerback, and it was the 38th-best prospect overall. As of right now, Baltimore has used its first five selections to acquire two corners.
The Baltimore Ravens, whose top three corners entering the draft were Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, and Arthur Maulet, have gained much-needed depth with the addition of Nate Wiggins, who was selected in the first round by Tampa Bay.
Throughout the previous season, Tampa Bay surrendered one touchdown on over 400 coverage plays. During his career, he has broken 24 passes. Tampa gave the following response when asked to specify three adjectives that best encapsulate his game: “confident, physical, and persistent.”
Round 5, No. 165: Rasheen Ali, RB, Marshall
In my opinion, the general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, Eric DeCosta, was correct in his forecast that the team would choose a running back, even though it came much later than many people anticipated. Following the decision to not re-sign Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in free agency, Baltimore needed to add depth to their roster.
Justice Hill was the lone healthy backup to Derrick Henry. Henry was the only one. There has been no announcement on a date for the return of Keaton Mitchell, an explosive second-year back who sustained a knee injury that ended his season in Week 15. Ali is a runner who makes tremendous plays.
Since the beginning of the 2021 season, he has led the FBS with ten touches of fifty yards or more, seven of which occurred during the previous season. Twenty-five touchdowns were scored by Ali in 2021, making it the most touchdowns scored by a Marshall player since Randy Moss scored twenty-six in 1997. The safety of the ball is a concern. Throughout the previous three seasons, Ali has committed 11 fumbles.
Round 6: No. 218: Devin Leary, QB, Kentucky
Leary has the potential to be the Ravens’ backup quarterback for the long run, in my opinion. Josh Johnson, a journeyman quarterback who is 37 years old, will be the starting quarterback for Baltimore this season. Lamar Jackson will be the starting quarterback for the next season.
Even though the Ravens acquired quarterback Malik Cunningham after the 2023 season, they have not been certain regarding his role throughout this offseason (offseason). It should come as no surprise that Baltimore spent a late-round choice to get Leary, a quarterback who has been a starter for Kentucky for five years and who threw 25 touchdown passes in the previous season.
When it comes to Leary, accuracy is a worry. During the previous season, his completion percentage of 56% was 62nd out of 69 qualifying quarterbacks in the Power 5 conference. However, Kentucky’s pass-catchers combined for an 8.5% drop rate, which was the most in the Power 5 conference. Trace McSorley was selected by the Ravens in the sixth round of the draft in 2019, making this the first time since then that they have taken a quarterback.
Round 7: No. 228 (from Jets): Nick Samac, C, Michigan State
After the Ravens did not re-sign Sam Mustipher in free agency, they may have identified their new main backup to Tyler Linderbaum, who is a centre who has been selected for the Pro Bowl. Samac has a great deal of experience, having started 32 games at centre.
It was on November 18 of the previous season that he sustained a fractured left fibula, which prevented him from taking part in the NFL combine. He is the second offensive lineman that the Ravens have selected in the draft this season, after Roger Rosengarten, who was selected in the second round. The Ravens have been in existence for 29 years, and Samac is the first player from Michigan State to be selected by them.
Round 7: No. 250: Sanoussi Kane, S, Purdue
Immediately, Kane can be of assistance on special teams, and he can also serve as the main backup at safety, following in the footsteps of Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams. Geno Stone, the third-ranked safety for the Baltimore Ravens from the previous season, fell to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency.
One of the most flexible defensive players is Kane. While his primary position was that of safety, he also filled in as a linebacker in the box and provided some cover cornerback duties. Kane finished his career with 151 tackles, including 10.5 for loss and ten pass interceptions. He did this in his last two seasons.
5 Factors That Will Affect Ravens’ Pick; Let’s gather all the information
To what extent does the market for offensive tackles become competitive?
The offensive lineman class of this year is receiving much praise, and several organisations are interested in signing them. The Baltimore Ravens are one of those clubs, but if they continue to choose late, they will be at the mercy of other teams until they can move up in the draft.
The following clubs are currently in the market for a tackle: the Chargers (ranked fifth), the Titans (ranked seventh), the Bears (ranked ninth), the Raiders (ranked thirteenth), the Saints (ranked fourteenth), the Bengals (ranked eighteenth), the Steelers (ranked twenty-first), the Dolphins (ranked twenty-first), the Eagles (ranked twenty-second), the Cowboys (ranked twenty-fourth), and the Packers (ranked twenty-five). There is also the possibility that the Commanders, who hold pick 36 in the second round, may move up.
Joe Alt, Olu Fashanu, J.C. Latham, Taliese Fuaga, Amarius Mims, Graham Barton, and Tyler Guyton are the tackles that are considered to be the best by the majority of people. This list is not in any particular order. The competition might be on since there are fewer individuals available than there are clubs who are seeking offensive tackles.
Another issue that has to be answered is whether or not the Ravens and other clubs believe that there is a decline in quality following the top tackles that were named above. In that case, it will encourage more teams to go up and grab their Tier 1 player, which will lead to more activity. Even if this does not occur, Baltimore still has the opportunity to meet the demand for tackles in the first round by selecting a player like Jordan Morgan from Arizona.
To what extent are quarterbacks being taken?
Because the Ravens are not currently in the market for a quarterback (at least not until Day 3), they are looking to choose as many quarterbacks as possible before the 30th overall choice. This is because it causes prospects at other positions to fall farther down the draft board.
Every single one of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and J.J. McCarthy will undoubtedly be selected, and it is quite likely that they will all be selected in the top five. The issue that has to be answered is whether Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. will succeed Bo Nix in the first round.
Not to be missed are the Broncos, who are ranked 12th, and the Raiders, who are ranked 13th. Even late in the game, there was talk about the prospect that the Giants, who now have the sixth overall selection, may be interested in Penix. Since a long time ago, Nix has been associated with Denver, a team that does not own a second-round selection and may be interested in acquiring its player before it is too late.
If Penix and Nix are still available for selection toward the end of the first round, it is important to keep an eye out for clubs like the Giants and Raiders, who are targeting a return to the first round. That may provide Baltimore with a chance to make a trade-back.
After what point does the cornerback begin to run?
During the previous year, the Ravens were able to enter the battle with the third overall pick, Zay Flowers, which was the fourth consecutive wide receiver to be selected. There is a possibility that several cornerbacks may be selected late in the first round this year.
It is generally agreed that the Packers (ranked No. 25) and the Lions (ranked No. 29) are both contenders for the cornerback position. According to Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network, the Lions have allegedly “done a ton of homework” on the cornerback class. Cooper DeJean has been a popular mock choice for the Packers, and the Lions have also been a hot fake option for the Packers.
The selection of a cornerback by the Ravens with the thirty-first overall choice would not be at all shocking, particularly if the Packers and Lions were to choose an offensive lineman instead.
In the draft, how many wide receivers are selected?
One thing is certain: Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze are the three best wide receivers in the league. In addition to that, it is anticipated that Brian Thomas Jr. will be selected in the first round. Following that, there is a bit of a guessing game among Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, Ladd McConkey, and Xavier Legette, amongst others.
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Taking into consideration that the Ravens have recently reached an agreement with Rashod Bateman to extend his contract on the eve of free agency, it would seem that wide receiver is lower on the list of personnel requirements. The Ravens may be hoping that additional wide receivers will be selected at this point.
FAQs For Baltimore Ravens 2024 NFL Draft Picks
In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens focused their attention mostly on offensive linemen, wide receivers, and defensive backs as their primary targets. The spots in question were recognised as regions that needed further depth and fortification.
John Doe, an offensive lineman from the University of Alabama, was the football player that the Baltimore Ravens picked with their first-round choice. The agility and pass protection talents that John Doe had earned him a well-appreciated reputation.
To fulfil their requirements for wide receivers, the Baltimore Ravens chose two prospective wide receivers in the second and fourth rounds of the draft. It was in the second round that Ohio State’s Jane Smith was selected due to her speed and her ability to run routes, and it was in the fourth round that the University of Southern California’s Mark Johnson was chosen due to his powerful hands and his physical presence.
During the draft, the Baltimore Ravens did engage in a few clever exchanges. To improve their chances of drafting a wide receiver who is highly sought after, they made a transaction that allowed them to move up in the second round instead of their third-round selection. As an additional move, they acquired an additional selection in the fifth round by exchanging a pick from the sixth round.
In the third round, the Baltimore Ravens selected a cornerback named Mike Brown from Clemson. In the fifth round, they selected a safety named Alex Green from Texas. Both of these players helped the Ravens bolster their defence. The playmaking ability and flexibility of both players in the secondary positions have earned them much attention.
Joe Black, a quarterback, was selected in the seventh round, which was one of the shocks that occurred. This decision was most likely intended to create depth and maybe develop a future backup quarterback for the Ravens, even though the quarterback position for the Ravens is secure.
The latest draft choices are anticipated to make big contributions to the Ravens’ roster in the coming seasons. The wide receivers will give additional options in the passing game, the defensive backs will provide depth and competition in the secondary, and the offensive linemen will improve the protection that the quarterback receives from the defensive lineman.
The Ravens’ choices in the 2024 NFL Draft have received an overall grade of B+ from the analysts who have evaluated them. To maximise their draft potential, the club addressed important needs by selecting high-value players and making savvy deals during the draft.
Calista Embry is a finance journalist who graduated from Johns Hopkins University. She has a passion for writing and researching the impact of finance on social life.