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Now that the combine is finished, we will start to see selections based on how prospects upped or dropped their stock. Guys like Vic Beasley that were expected to drop down to the Ravens at the 26th overall pick are now definitive top 20 picks. That opens up some possibilities for the Ravens as teams will always reach for combine stars, allowing them to select a good all around player that helps the team.
Draft Breakdown
Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky
A new face and name for the Ravens. Dupree wasn't selected by the Ravens in any of the mock drafts last round. Alvin, who goes by "Bud" is an absolute athletic freak, topping the charts at the 40-yard dash (3rd), the vertical jump(2nd) and broad jump(1st) for his position category. Bud has all the physical tools that a defensive coordinator could ask for, but according to scouts, is a little slow to diagnose plays and not as complete as an edge rusher.
CBS/NFLDraftScout
Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
CBS selected Peters in the previous mock draft as well. The reasoning is decently solid as they mention that "if the Ravens are confident in the healthy return of starting cornerbacks Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb, Ozzie Newsome may look for a receiver or running back with this pick". With Melvin Gordon and Maxx Williams still on the board, I have my doubts as to if the Ravens would go corner in the first round with both offensive players seemingly having a much better chance of starting immediately.
NFL.com - Bucky Brooks
Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri
Bucky Brooks predicts that the Ravens are the team that nabs DGB at the end of the first round. Undoubtedly one of the most talented receivers in this draft, his off-field problems are what make him such a question mark. However, with the Ravens not exactly expected to retain Torrey Smith, they are in the market for a receiver and DGB can be a true number 1 guy if he ever reaches his potential and keeps his nose clean.
NFL.com - Charles Davis
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
With Melvin Gordon off the board to the Texans in Davis' mock draft, the Gurley pick makes some sense. However, with a guy that is coming off a major knee injury and has yet to be fully looked at by NFL doctors, there is no guarantee that Gurley can return with the same athletics that made him such a good bet for the first round. Also, it is kinda doubtful that both rushers come off the board in the first round after years without a single running back hitting the first round at all. With guys like Maxx Williams, Jaelen Strong, and DGB still on the board, I'm not too sure the Ravens would make such a risky pick in the first round.
NFL.com - Lance Zierlein
Carl Davis, DT, Iowa
Zierlein went with Carl Davis in the last mock draft and he is sticking with his guns. Davis, the defensive tackle could be the pick if the Ravens release Haloti Ngata. However, the assessment that "Baltimore needs defensive line help" is completely inaccurate. One of the areas with the most depth on the team, the defensive line looks to christen the new era of defensive line studs this year regardless of the return of Ngata.
NFL.com - Daniel Jeremiah
Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Gordon was a popular pick in the last mock drafts for good reason. In this round, some have him going a bit higher or dropping out of the first round completely. Still the best pure rusher in this draft, Gordon would be an upgrade at the position for the Ravens and could blossom into quite the star.
Walter Football
Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Ummmm, no. Not a single mock draft has Perriman in the first round at all, much less mocked to go as high as the Ravens. Despite the idea that the Ravens will be in the market for a receiver in this draft, this pick reeks of reaching that the Ravens don't do, especially in the first round. All the scouting notes on Perriman describe him as a worse version of Torrey Smith (fast straight line speed, terrible routes and terrible hands). Keep in mind that Smith was a second round pick as well due to these issues and he wasn't even in as deep of a class as Perriman is. Absolutely no way this happens.
As with all things draft, we are WAY too early to really narrow down who the Ravens will pick. With the combine coming this week, we'll see guys rise up the boards and some guys completely fall off of it. But when you get an early peek at who the Ravens just might choose, you have to like what we are seeing so far.