Ravens News 4/14: Draft position rankings and more

2020 NFL Draft: Ideal top two picks for all 32 teams - Lance Zierlein

BALTIMORE RAVENS

» Round 1: No. 28 overall — Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

» Round 2: No. 55 (from Patriots through Falcons) — John Simpson, OG, Clemson

With his athletic ability and toughness, Queen would be an ideal selection for the linebacker-needy Ravens in the first round. A run on receivers in the first 50 picks could force the Ravens to turn their attention to guard, where Clemson’s Simpson has the size, strength and ability to help fortify that position after the retirement of Marshal Yanda.

Ravens Could Draft an Offensive Lineman Early - Clifton Brown

“It’d be great if a guy in the first round that we thought was a really good player fell to us,” DeCosta said. “But I think those guys go off the board. As we see in most drafts, those offensive linemen, they go very quickly in the first 15 or 20 picks. We’ve got to assess the players that we think will still be there. We definitely took on some water this year with Marshal retiring and with Matt Skura with his knee injury.”

The offensive lineman most mocked to the Ravens at No. 28 is center/guard Cesar Ruiz of Michigan. Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, can provide inside information to his brother after coaching Ruiz in college, and DeCosta likes what he hears and sees.

”He’s a guy that plays on his feet, he’s very smart, he’s a got a good body, he’s a very good athlete, he’s got a good strong punch, he can anchor, he can play in space,” DeCosta said. “Basically, he can do all the things you want a center to do. Obviously, our connection to Michigan, we feel like we’ve got an advantage where we can get information on these guys that we feel will help us make decisions. And we will always use that information to the best of our ability.”

Louisiana-Lafayette’s Robert Hunt is another guard the Ravens could target as a Day 2 pick, and he’s even bigger (6-foot-5, 323 pounds) than Muti. Imagine Hunt and Pro Bowl right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (6-foot-8, 345 pounds) playing side-by-side on the Ravens’ right side, providing nearly 700 pounds of blocking.

Peter King thinks the Ravens will be active in first round of the NFL Draft - Ryan Wormell

“I think this is a classic year that you’re going to see Eric DeCosta probably move around,” King said. “That would be my gut feeling. There is not one area of the team that is destitute. To my way of thinking, they have enough ammunition to move around, and Eric DeCosta has proven that he’ll trade with anybody at any time. I bet they would try to trade down and get one more [second round pick] if they could.”

“The receivers in this draft, I think any one of them, especially the bigger receivers, I think would fit the Ravens,” King added. “And look, this is a draft-and-develop offensive line team, so you know, the best guard or the best center there in the 40’s or 50’s, if he’s still there, I could see them doing that too.”

Baltimore Ravens seven-round mock draft: Projecting trades, addressing needs and more - Aaron Kasinitz

Round 1, Pick 30: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

Round 2, Pick 55: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State

Round 2, Pick 60: Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M

Round 3, Pick 81: Robert Hunt, OG, Louisiana-Lafayette

And Hunt, one of the best offensive guard prospects in the draft, slipping down in the third round represents the right circumstances for the Ravens. Hunt’s from a small program and didn’t work out at the scouting combine because of a groin injury, but he showcased tenacity and impressive athletic traits during four years as a starter.

If Baltimore wants to find an interior offensive lineman who can compete for playing time in the wake of Marshal Yanda’s retirement, it shouldn’t hesitate to move up 11 spots to draft Hunt.

Round 3, Pick 106: Logan Wilson, ILB, Wyoming

The Ravens get their inside linebacker before the end of Day 2, and it comes in the form of another small-school prospect. Wilson’s not the prototypical modern linebacker who can stick with athletic tight ends in coverage. He’s more of a physical run-stuffer who plays with high energy and rarely misses tackles.

For the Ravens, Wilson would be the Josh Bynes replacement — a smart and steady presence in the middle of the defense. He could also develop into one of the team’s most important special teams contributors and was ultra durable at Wyoming, starting in 52 straight games.

And with hopes of playing safeties Chuck Clark and Anthony Levine in the dime linebacker role often in 2020, Baltimore can get by without drafting a speedy linebacker who excels in coverage.

Round 4, Pick 129: Geno Stone, S, Iowa

Round 4, Pick 134: Josiah Scott, CB, Michigan State

Round 6, Pick 192: Calvin Throckmorton, OL, Oregon

2020 NFL Draft position rankings - Michael Renner

WIDE RECEIVER

1. Jerry Jeudy, Alabama

2. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma

3. Henry Ruggs III, Alabama

4. Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado

5. Jalen Reagor, TCU

6. Michael Pittman Jr., USC

7. Tee Higgins, Clemson

8. Justin Jefferson, LSU

9. Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State

10. Denzel Mims, Baylor

INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE

1. Netane Muti, Fresno State

2. Jonah Jackson, Ohio State

3. Cesar Ruiz, Michigan

4. Damien Lewis, LSU

5. Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin

6. Robert Hunt, Lousiana

7. Nick Harris, Washington

8. Matt Hennessey, Temple

9. Isaiah Wilson, Georgia

10. Logan Stenberg, Kentucky

LINEBACKER

1. Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

2. Patrick Queen, LSU

3. Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State

4. Zack Baun, Wisconsin

5. Troy Dye, Oregon

6. Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma

7. Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech

8. Akeem Davis-Gaither, App State

9. Malik Harrison, Ohio State

10. Logan Wilson, Wyoming