Courtney Upshaw Is A Big Man

Sunday was the last day of the Baltimore Ravens Rookie Camp, but the only day of the weekend that the media was permitted to attend and observe the newest Ravens. There were the eight picks from last month's draft but also a bunch of other players that were signed as undrafted free agents. In fact, the roster handed out by the team at practice didn't even include the names of many of the players on the field.

It did include the name of the Ravens top pick in the draft, Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw. While most of us have seen the photos and even the tape of this rookie, seeing him in person was another thing. At 6'2" and 272 pounds, Upshaw is already a big man. In person, under his helmet and shoulder pads, he seems even bigger.

Upshaw's huge arms warn others that he has the strength to ward of the offensive blockers and the power to drive them into their own backfield. At practice against the makeshift offensive line of the other rookies, he spent as much time in the offense's backfield as the ones who were supposed to be there.

After practice, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was asked what he thought of his rookie linebacker that now would seem to be facing additional pressure after the Achilles Tendon injury to Terrell Suggs.

"....very positive impression....off to a good start..."

When Courtney himself got to the podium after practice to answer the media's questions, one of the first ones were was he feeling the pressure to be asked to replace the injured Suggs. His respectable response?

"There's only one Suggs. You can't replace Suggs."

More on this to follow and of course, for the most access to Ravens news, head on over to BaltimoreRavens.com.