Most Mock Drafts have Alabama LB Courtney Upshaw going in the top 15 picks of the 2012 NFL Draft. However, there is a possibility that Upshaw may still be on the board when the Baltimore Ravens pick at #29 of the first round. Based on Upshaw not running the forty-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and the rest of his testing there not overly impressive, he could end up going after his linebacker teammate Dont'a Hightower, who the Ravens seem to really covet. A Mock Draft over at NFL.com by Chad Reuter (NFL Network analyst) has Upshaw falling to the Ravens at the end of the first round.
However, Upshaw would not be the selection that would ultimately step in and replace Ray Lewis, as Courtney is an outside linebacker while his teammate, Hightower is an inside linebacker. If the Ravens allow Jarret Johnson to go to another team through free agency, they would probably do so without knowing they had a chance at drafting his replacement and would either seek a cheaper option through free agency or move one of their reserves into that starting position.
At the same time, if Upshaw is still available when the Ravens pick comes up, there is a good chance the Ravens will see him as the best player available and grab him and insert him right away into that outside LB position. If Dont'a Hightower is also unpicked at that point, the Ravens might choose to go after Ray's replacement over Jarret's.