Baltimore Ravens score big points in NFL.com 2011 redraft

NFL.com likes to look back on former drafts, and see who teams would have taken if they had the benefit of hindsight. The latest subject of their perusal is the 2011 draft, and although I do not necessarily agree with the exact placement of the picks, the re-draft is very kind to the Ravens.

They say it takes three to five years to get an accurate evaluation on a draft class, so scoring 3 players in the top thirty picks after 5 years says something about the Ravens drafting. Although some have felt that Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome has not been as successful recently with his drafts, it truly is too early to judge the drafts of the last few years, although some picks are already clear wins or losses already. Those players include Brandon Williams, Rick Wagner, C.J. Mosley, and Buck Allen as wins, while Arthur Brown and John Simon are clear losses.

Here are the Ravens draft picks who were chosen earlier:

11. HOUSTON TEXANS

Pick: J.J. Watt, DE (went already)

Do-over: Torrey Smith, WR

DeAndre Hopkins has turned into one of the league's best receivers, but the team still needs a secondary wideout option. Smith hasn't been a superstar, but he has the third-most receiving yards among receivers in this draft class and averages more than 17 yards a catch with 34 scores.

14. ST. LOUIS RAMS

Pick: Robert Quinn, DE (went already)

Do-over: Jimmy Smith, CB

Smith and Trumaine Johnson would be an excellent cornerback duo. Smith's game and athleticism didn't match his original draft slot (27th overall). This is the area in the draft that he should have heard his name called.

29. CHICAGO BEARS

Pick: Gabe Carimi, OT

Do-over: Pernell McPhee, OLB

I couldn't pass up sticking McPhee with the team that gave him a big contract last offseason. He's had 13.5 sacks over the past two seasons.

Hopefully the Ravens 2014 and 2015 drafts will be looked back with similar feelings when they are 5 years in the past.