Ravens select OT Trevor Penning in ESPN’s latest Mock Draft

In ESPN’s latest Mock Draft, analyst Todd McShay gave to the Ravens, with the 22nd overall pick, Trevor Penning, offensive tackle from Northern Iowa.

McShay went on to justify the selection as follows

“The Ravens’ identity is based on running the football and physically upfront, and Penning embodies that. He pushes defenders off the ball and moves well for a 6-foot-7, 321-pound tackle. The Ravens dealt Orlando Brown Jr. in the offseason, Alejandro Villanueva (his replacement) is 33 years old, and Ronnie Stanley has been limited to seven games over the past two seasons because of ankle issues. And Baltimore has given up an NFL-high 47 sacks this season. If Baltimore tends to offensive line issues in another way, the defense could also see reinforcements. Perhaps Georgia’s Jordan Davis or Travon Walker would fit the bill.”

As we head toward the final regular season games, it’s clear that the Ravens will need to fix the offensive line during the offseason as their inconsistent play generated multiple issues for Lamar Jackson and the run game during the season. With their first-round pick, Baltimore could easily invest in a brand new tackle to try to fix those inconsistencies. As Todd McShay pointed out, Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning could be one of the better fits, as his physicality and mobility would give to the Ravens everything they are looking for in an offensive tackle. UCLA’s Sean Rhyan and Ohio State’s Nicholas Petit-Frere could also be some more valid candidates in the first-round.

As McShay also rightfully pointed out, in case the Ravens decide to fix their offensive line through free agency or a trade, a prospect like Jordan Davis would be a dream fit. The Georgia gigantic defensive tackle is one of the best run defenders in College Football and he has all the tools to make an immediate impact at the NFL level. With Brandon Williams and Calais Campbell set to become free agents, adding a player like Davis in the first-round would definitely make sense for Baltimore.

While it’s still soon to figure out in which way the Ravens want to move in the offseason, one thing is more than certain: fixing the offensive line should be Baltimore’s top priority.