Ravens News 4/13: Day 2 Draft fits and more

2010s All-Decade Team snubs: Ten NFL players worthy of a spot - Nick Shook

RANK 3

Terrell Suggs, Edge

Baltimore Ravens (2010-18), Arizona Cardinals/Kansas City Chiefs (2019)

All-Pros: 1

Pro Bowls: 4

Defensive Player of the Year: 1

The gold-jacket-worthy Suggs was a staple for a Ravens team that suffered only one losing season during the nine years he spent in Baltimore over the past decade. The former first-round pick aged like a fine wine, entering the 2010s just shy of 27 years old and proceeding to rack up 81.5 sacks over the next 10 seasons. Of his 37 career forced fumbles, 21 came during the past decade, including seven during his Defensive Player of the Year-winning 2011 season. Suggs’ sack total alone should’ve earned him significant consideration for this list, as should his 15 QB hits in 14 playoff games to go along with two Super Bowl rings.

BEST DAY 2 FITS FOR 2020 NFL DRAFT - Benjamin Solak

LYNN BOWDEN, WR, KENTUCKY

No team in the NFL got more out of their rushing quarterback last season than the Ravens did; few teams in college football got more out of their rushing quarterback than Kentucky did last season.

Lynn Bowden isn’t a true passer; he’s a wide receiver of a gadgety mold but that could work well in Baltimore. The Ravens have wideouts Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin to develop on the outside, but Bowden could offer reps from the slot while spending some time in the backfield as a threat on option plays to both run and pass besides Lamar Jackson.

Is it necessary? Absolutely not. But Taysom Hill isn’t necessary, he’s just confusing and inconvenient. Adding another layer to the already difficult task of preparing for the Lamar-led Ravens offense is a great chess move for the cost of a Day 3 pick which is where Bowden will be going.

Which Top-Tier Player Could Slip to the Ravens? - Ryan Mink

Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa could be that guy after a sup-bar Combine in which he ran the 40-yard dash in over five seconds and didn’t look quite as nimble as his peers.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said on “The Lounge” podcast that there are “mixed opinions” on Epenesa, who was once viewed as a top-15 prospect. Asked if Epenesa could slip to No. 28, Kiper said it’s “borderline.”

“He didn’t test well, he’s not real explosive,” Kiper said. “He’s just a guy who has great technique, can kick inside to defensive tackle on third down if you want, give you some options there.”

Another possibility could be LSU pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, who struggled with injuries over his career and finished with just 9.5 sacks in three seasons.

“His sack production came really late in the year, but he was coming back from the [torn ACL] injury,” Kiper said. “So it took him a while. Once he got back to where he needed to be, he was really getting after quarterbacks.”

2020 NFL Draft: Potential first-round pick Patrick Queen meets with Packers, Eagles and Ravens, per report - Sean Wagner-McGough

Patrick Queen, entering the NFL after a successful career at LSU earned him a projected first-round price tag, is drawing significant interest as the 2020 NFL Draft draws closer. Three teams have already met with him and a fourth team will throw themselves into the fray “in the coming days.” According to The Draft Network’s Jordan Reid, Queen has already met with the Packers, Eagles, and Ravens, and he also has a meeting scheduled with the Giants — which will take place over FaceTime, of course, due to COVID-19.

Like the Eagles, the Ravens urgently need help at linebacker. They never really replaced C.J. Mosley a year ago and then they proceeded to lose Josh Bynes in free agency this offseason. Like the Packers, the Ravens will need Queen to fall further than expected if they hope to grab him. They’re slated to pick 28th. By then, with linebacker-needy teams like the Eagles, Patriots, and Saints positioned ahead of them, Queen could be off the board.