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Another week, another mock.
Here's how the latest Ravens mock draft went, thanks to the help of the draft simulator at FanSpeak.com. (It's actually quite fun, you should give it a try.)
First round, 17th overall pick: Texas A&M WR Mike Evans
Surprised that the simulator somehow left Evans there for the taking. One reason is the it favored Brandin Cooks, and had him going seventh overall to the Bucs. A run on receivers (hypothetically) never materialized and Evans fell into Baltimore's lap.
Second round, 48th overall pick: Texas Tech TE Jace Amaro
A big tight end at 6-6, 270 pounds, Amaro fits exactly into what the Ravens' new offense wants to do. Gone are the days of a one-dimensional blocking tight end in this offense. Gary Kubiak and the offensive coaches want versatile tight ends that can do well in both phases of the position. While Amaro wasn't asked to block much with the Red Raiders, he has the tools to be a more than competent blocker.
Third round, 79th overall pick: North Dakota State OT Billy Turner
Turner is a big 6-5, 315-pound tackle that plays physical and mean all the way through plays. Barely recruited out of high school, Turner is the kind of player that has an edge about himself that the Ravens seem to covet. If he works to improve his technique, this athletic lineman could have a bright future in the NFL.
Third round, 99th overall pick (compensatory): Princeton DL Caraun Reid
Reid, 6-2, 303 pounds, actually a similar build to Arthur Jones, 6-3, 313 pounds, and could wind up as a potential sleeper in this draft class. A two-time All-American at Princeton, Reid was tough for opposing offenses to slow down in the Ivy League for four years. He tallied 6.5 sacks during his final season, though three came in the final game of his career against Dartmouth. And hey, he went to Princeton. Clearly he's an intelligent young man.
Fourth round, 134th overall pick (compensatory): LSU QB Zach Mettenberger
The value of taking a quarterback such as Mettenberger at this spot would be too much to pass on. Mettenberger is a big quarterback at 6-6 and has a rocket of an arm. He possesses a lot of similar traits to Joe Flacco on the football field as well. One thing that's been noted is John Harbaugh's comment about adding competition for Tyrod Taylor. Well, while the Ravens have typically carried just two quarterbacks under John Harbaugh, Gary Kubiak carried three quarterbacks at times with Houston.
Fourth round, 138th overall pick (compensatory): Boston College RB Andre Williams
Terrance West was off of the board at this point and Williams was, in my estimation, the best running back available here. Williams had a beastly senior season, running for 2,177 yards and 18 touchdowns, culminating in a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist. One knack on Williams is that his initial acceleration isn't great. Well, his vision would more than make up for it in Kubiak's zone blocking scheme, which gives the backs plenty of options when figuring out which hole to cut through.
Fifth round, 175th overall pick (compensatory): Utah State CB Nevin Lawson
The Ravens need depth at nickel corner to compete with Chykie Brown and Asa Jackson. Depending on how the draft shakes out, they could take someone early or try to find a value in the later rounds. In this mock draft, the latter happens. Lawson was Utah State's top corner that loved to get physical in man-to-man coverage. Now, the Ravens are set on the outside with Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith (though Webb would man the slot a good bit in the nickel package). But they could use someone to potentially use inside and Lawson could fit that bill.
Sixth round, 194th overall pick: Wisconsin S Dezmen Southward
A durable safety, Southward never missed a game he was able to play in, starting the last 28 contests of his career. At his Wisconsin Pro Day, he ran the 40-yard dash in the low 4.4s and became a hot topic among scouts and reporters present for it. He can play either free or strong safety and could factor into the mix as a sleeper candidate.