Matt Elam, The Human Highlight Real

Well all the hype surrounding round one of the NFL Draft has come and gone here in Baltimore. The Ravens made no big trades, or trades of any kind for that matter, but they came out with a very special player.

Former Florida Gator Matt Elam is much like former Raven safety Ed Reed in the fact that he makes big plays and seems to come out of nowhere sometimes to knock a guy out. Of course there will never be another Ed Reed here in Baltimore but fans should be super excited to see Elam in a Ravens uniform.

Elam is a hard hitting, ball-hawking safety who can play both safety positions and even line up in man-to-man coverage if need be. That means the Ravens now have two starting safeties that excel in coverage. Elam has the unique ability to contort his body in any way he needs to to come away with the ball. Add that to his excellent football IQ and unique ability to read quarterbacks and he has all the makings of a dominant player at the next level.

Elam was rated as the second best safety in this draft class but that may be because of his shorter stature. The former Gator more than makes up for the inch or two he is missing in height with his special play on the field. Elam should quickly become a fan favorite here in Baltimore as he has a pension for making big, dramatic plays at key moments in games.

Round one is over and the Ravens got their man. Now comes the fun. Don't be surprised to see the Ravens move around all over the place tonight and tomorrow to grab the players they seek. I, for one, can't wait.