Countdown to the 2016 NFL draft

The event we have all been waiting months for is almost upon us, and in less than 12 hours the result of the Baltimore Ravens first pick in the top 10 since 2000 will be brought to the podium. Will it be left tackle Laremy Tunsil, defensive end DeForest Buckner, linebacker Joey Bosa, or defensive back Jalen Ramsey? Will it be a player not mentioned following a trade down with a team like the Tennessee Titans or a team looking to leap the 49ers for quarterback Paxton Lynch, netting Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens a wealth of picks for their trouble?

All the speculation, evaluations, and mock drafts will culminate with the NFL draft, which begins tonight at 8:00 PM EST. No more fanspeak or firstpick mock drafts to waste precious hours of your time. Mike Mayock, Todd McShay, and Mel Kiper will head off to the vacation spot of their choice for a little R&R before returning to the drawing board to start evaluating next years crop of upperclassmen.

But one thing is sure- the Ravens will be a better team. Armed with a bevy of picks in the top 4 rounds, the Ravens unstoppable duo of Newsome and DeCosta will wreak havoc on the draft, and the Ravens should be primed for a return to the playoffs following only the  second January that Joe Flacco was sitting home on the couch. With important holes at OLB, CB, ILB, and OL, and lesser needs at WR, RB, FS, and DL, the Ravens will fill out their roster with impact players over the 3 day event.

So while it is nearly guaranteed that Ravens fans will not love every one of Ozzie's picks- one thing we know for sure is that he is doing what he believes is best for this Ravens team to be the best it can be. So if Ozzie, in his wisdom goes Bosa over Buckner- suppress that groan, and get behind the Ravens first class scouting department and believe that Bosa will be the better player. If the Ravens pass on Ramsey or Tunsil, believe that the Ravens, having invested millions in scouting and evaluating talent know more than you and me and all the other armchair GM's and scouts who spew their often asinine opinions around the internet.