Ravens News 4/16: Favored in every game and more

Ravens Early Favorites in Every Regular-Season Game in 2020 - Todd Karpovich

The Ravens are certainly getting the respect from prognosticators.

Baltimore is favored in every regular-season game in 2020, according to the early line released by BetOnline.

Baltimore Ravens -3½ @ Cleveland Browns

Baltimore Ravens -9 @ Cincinnati Bengals

Baltimore Ravens -5 @ Houston Texans

Baltimore Ravens -2½ @ Indianapolis Colts

Baltimore Ravens -2½ @ New England Patriots

Baltimore Ravens -1½ @ Philadelphia Eagles

Baltimore Ravens -2½ @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Baltimore Ravens -10 @ Washington Redskins

Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens -14

Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens -8½

Dallas Cowboys @ Baltimore Ravens -7

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Baltimore Ravens -15½

Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens -2

New York Giants @ Baltimore Ravens -12½

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens -7

Tennessee @ Baltimore Ravens -8

2016 NFL Draft do-over: Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott snapped up - Jeffri Chadiha

PICK 6

Ronnie Stanley - OT

School: Notre Dame | Original pick: Stanley.

Stanley has been everything the Ravens could’ve hoped for when they selected him. He made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2019, earned first-team All-Pro honors and impressed so much that Pro Football Focus called him ”the best pass-blocking tackle in the NFL.” Lamar Jackson will be a happy man for as long as Stanley literally has his back.

PICK 26

Matt Judon - Edge

School: Grand Valley State | Original pick: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis. Judon was actually drafted: by the Ravens in Round 5 (No. 146).

Judon is a great value pick here. The Broncos were one year away from losing DeMarcus Ware to retirement, and Shane Ray, a 2015 first-round pick, wouldn’t pan out. Pair Judon — who made his first Pro Bowl after totaling 9.5 sacks in 2019 — with Von Miller, and there would be plenty of opposing quarterbacks losing sleep.

Will the NFL draft bring the Ravens their next defensive centerpiece? - Jamison Hensley

The traits that the Ravens look for at that position have always been the same. Baltimore wants someone who is passionate, durable and productive in every single game.

But the look of the prototypical inside linebacker has changed.

Murray seems like the type of player whom the Ravens would really covet. He’s experienced (a three-year starter). He’s a high-character prospect (he saved a stranger’s life by performing CPR). He’s known for his football IQ (he said he watches five to six hours of film every day).

“I think it showed against us — you’ve got to come downhill and hit a guy in the mouth,” Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz told the Ravens’ website. “While it’s great to get a guy that can run and be athletic, you’ve got to be able to diagnose the run and play downhill. If you can’t, you’re probably not going to have as much value in this defense.”

2020 NFL Draft: PFF’s All-Small School Team - Michael Renner

WR: JOHN HIGHTOWER, BOISE STATE

Hightower doesn’t just have the speed, but he also has the sneaky route-running chops. He’s a bit of a poor man’s Justin Jefferson in the way he’s able to sink his hips with ease to sell breaks. Despite mainly being a deep threat for Boise State, Hightower still averaged 2.83 yards per route over the past two seasons.

RT: ROBERT HUNT, LOUISIANA

Hunt was dominating this past season before an injury cut his year short. He had earned an 87.1 overall grade through seven games before going down. He’s a massive 330 pounds and may ultimately kick into guard, but he looks nimble enough to at least get a shot on the edge.

EDGE: TREVIS GIPSON, TULSA

A late bloomer, Gipson didn’t put it all together as a pass-rusher until down the stretch as a senior. This past year he earned an 89.7 pass-rushing grade after earning a 74.4 in his first year as a starter in 2018. With length and bend, Gipson has legit edge tools.

LB: LOGAN WILSON, WYOMING

Wilson has the size (241 pounds) and athleticism to be an every-down linebacker in the NFL. That bodes well when you consider his production at Wyoming, where he earned a 90.6 overall grade this past season. However, the concern is that he’ll already be 24 years old before the start of his rookie season.