Sports Illustrated Mock Draft Has Ravens Looking In Trenches

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 11, 2012 6:00 PM EST

Sports Illustrated put out a 2012 Mock Draft after the BCS Title Game. They looked at how they predict the rest of the playoffs and Super Bowl to pan out (don't get too excited, Baltimore Ravens fans), and based the selection order on that prediction. Without giving out too much information, they don't have the Ravens picking either 31st or 32nd (horrors!).

A few of the previous Mock Drafts I've seen this early in the process have the Ravens going for an inside linebacker to groom for the possible retirement of Ray Lewis at some point in the near future. However, in this draft, Sports Illustrated has the Ravens looking into the offensive trenches.

The possibility of losing guard Ben Grubbs, who is a free agent after the season, is a decision the team will have to look at. Paying right guard Marshal Yanda could limit the price they'd want to pay for two guards making a ton of money,especially with questions at center and left tackle on the line, much less the need to focus on keeping DT Haloti Ngata, RB Ray Rice and QB Joe Flacco in purple for a long, long time.

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Poor Ngata is just getting swallowed up with double teams. He isn’t even getting his logs into the air to bat down passes this year. Kind of a quite year. But, thats the silent life of a run stopper. He needs a little interior help. Cody needs to start swinging those bear claws. I think a big key to this game, like the others, is Redding. He keeps pleasantly surprising us with his ability to get to the QB. Hmmm, an older guy like Redding still knocking QB’s around- kudos Ngata for making that happen. Trevor Price and Redding are both absolute steals an a job very well done by Ozzie.

by raven on Jan 11, 2012 6:12 PM EST reply actions

Not a fan of this mock at all. No way we draft a G that high unless Grubbs doesn’t return and the writer made no mention of that. Also he said we could opt to draft a WR like Reuben Randle who is not a first rounder IMO.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Jan 11, 2012 6:13 PM EST reply actions

We need the hardest hitting safety out there…on second though, in this NFL maybe just the slickest.

by raven on Jan 11, 2012 6:15 PM EST reply actions

We already have him

Pollard at SS. A FS is a centerfielding ball hawk, not a hitter.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 11, 2012 9:39 PM EST up reply actions

That kid Reid from LSU is going to be a good one

But he is only a soph

by RavensfaninTX on Jan 12, 2012 9:07 PM EST up reply actions

My Burflict Bandwagon

I’ve notcied that Vontaze Burflict has slid out of the 1st round in more than a few mocks including this one. Even though his stats dropped off and he got dissed by the PAC 12 not even making Honorable Mention for the All Conference team, I still think he is 1st round talent and would develop nicely with the Ravens. Maybe Ray would even stick around one more year to mentor the guy.

Stay under the radar Vontaze. Be there when the Ravens pick. Then come here with a chip on your shoulder and something to prove.

"the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge."
Hamlet, William Shakespeare

by Fandemonium on Jan 11, 2012 6:42 PM EST reply actions

I’m right with you. He is my ideal pick still. The talent is there he just needs to cut out some of the bonehead plays. Many before the season had him as a top 10 and even top 5 player in terms of talent and I think even though there is question marks that he is just too much potential to pass on at our pick. Could end up being another great Ozzie steal.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Jan 11, 2012 6:45 PM EST up reply actions

It is a dream scenario. I think if Burflict goes to the wrong team, his career will be short and disappointing. But if he becomes a Raven, he could become a worthy successor to Ray.

The one thing I thought made sense in his draft was Cleveland jumping up to #2 to take RG3. Nice move for the Rams who probably want/need Justin Blackmon anyway and get him at #4 and pick up the 22nd pick in the process.

"the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge."
Hamlet, William Shakespeare

by Fandemonium on Jan 11, 2012 7:06 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed. I don’t think he’s going to be great no matter where he goes. There’s a limited number of teams I feel he could go to and be great because he definitely needs some guidance. There’s no better place than here for him though. I believe I saw Ray is the player he looks up to most as well as we have Suggs who went to ASU and Monachino who coached at ASU. I really think it’s the perfect fit for both sides.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Jan 11, 2012 7:10 PM EST up reply actions

too tall. i like the compact ray lewis, london fletcher, singletary, brooks types for middle lb. the tall lb’s always seem like an ACL waiting to happen. unless, we put him on the end.

by raven on Jan 11, 2012 7:20 PM EST up reply actions

Fletcher

Is a FA. Assuming Ray-Ray hangs ’em up, how do you think he would look in Raven purple next year?

Living the DC area, I hear a lot about him and he seems like a pretty damn good player. Long in the tooth but would be a nice stop-gap if we are not able to draft “the Guy” this year.

"A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring."
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."
"God's whiskers! Your face is as hideous as the demon's in my storybook!"
"I never expected to see the day when girls would get sunburned in the places they do today."
"It's big for a reason."

For Pittsburgh fans, that's Pope, Twain, Rostand, Rogers and Megamind

by vlad755 on Jan 12, 2012 4:23 PM EST up reply actions

Here's hoping

Donta Hightower drops to us, but very very doubtful.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 11, 2012 9:40 PM EST up reply actions

I'm not big on that guy

and he’s only listed as the 3rd best ILB prospect, so he will probably be a 2nd or 3rd rounder. He’s built like Ellerbe, a good run stopper but not much east west movement.

by YeahDonnie on Jan 12, 2012 9:55 PM EST up reply actions

I would like to see us get Burfict but not sure if he could exist on a Harbaugh team.

by Ngata 92 on Jan 11, 2012 7:16 PM EST up reply actions

Burfict will be an all-Pro

Though i wouldn’t be upset with Hightower either.

by oriolekid on Jan 11, 2012 8:43 PM EST up reply actions

I’m on the Burfict train as well and looking at the 1st round I think we go MLB. The 2nd round is what really interests me because we could go in soooo many directions depending on who falls down the boards. We could go O Line, which I’ve seen projected, maybe even WR if one falls late, maybe M. Sanu from Rutgers, but the guy I’m intrigued by is Markell Martin, a FS from OSU. He’s projected as a 2nd round talent but has really good meausrables and has been described as a “true center fielder”.
He is: 6-1 198lbs. High 40 time: 4.58 Low 40 time: 4.38.
With Reed looking a bit worn down from his numerous injuries it might be prudent to start looking for his successor. We have proven that with out Ray, we can have sustainable success, going 4-0 without him and personally I think there is a much greater chance that Ed retires before Ray. With this being an offense driven leaugue maybe a defensive gem can fall to us.
Sorry for the long post and feel free to add any more info on Martin.

"Don't throw it, don't throw it, don't throw it. I know y'all going to throw it, they going to throw it anyway. I wouldn't throw it. Don't do it." - Ed Reed

You say tomato, I say tomahto. You say Six, I say Sweep.

by WestminsterRaven on Jan 12, 2012 12:53 PM EST reply actions

We are on the same page. Honestly those would be my ideal top 2 picks. I really like Martins potential as a playmaker.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Jan 12, 2012 2:23 PM EST up reply actions

That's funny

I had been looking at FS and really liked Markel. Not sure I am totally sold on him – but agree he is an interesting possibility.

Thinking about a KR/PR as a late round pick, I came across a WR from Fresno named Devon Wylie. I could see him as a great ST guy and even working him in at WR in 3rd down packages.

"the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge."
Hamlet, William Shakespeare

by Fandemonium on Jan 12, 2012 7:15 PM EST up reply actions

Special Teams . . .

I agree with Fandemonium that we need to look for a good KR/PR guy. I have great trust in Ozzie and Eric, but I think we have neglected ST for too long and their performance as a patchwork group has suffered over the last couple of years. It seems to me that some of our struggles this year were amplified with subpar ST play. Oh, to have had the luxury of drafting Randall Cobb last year in the 1st round, though I agree our need for a shutdown CB was more pressing.

Michael Oher is so fast off the ball that he only appears to be off-sides.

by Raveness on Jan 13, 2012 1:17 PM EST up reply actions

Randall Cobb wasn’t a 1st round talent though. He got drafted with the last pick of the 2nd that would have been a big reach in round 1. He’s a solid returner, but has also muffed a few punts this year. I would much rather have both Jimmy and Torrey over him.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Jan 13, 2012 2:48 PM EST up reply actions