Ravens News 4/12: Upside Prospects and more

50 Words or Less - John Eisenberg

The Ravens have to like what they heard and saw from Sammy Watkins in his initial session with the Baltimore media earlier this week. He came off as experienced, confident, ready to do whatever is asked of him, and best of all, hungry to show what he can do.

Actually, I’m not sure what the organization thought of his take on the 2020 passing game: “To be honest, everybody wasn’t getting open.” I haven’t heard anyone from the Ravens put it that bluntly, but actions can speak volumes and the fact they wanted a proven veteran says a lot.

Few teams are better than the Ravens at finding quality pass rushers on Day 3 of the draft. (They took Za’Darius Smith in the fourth round, Pernell McPhee and Matthew Judon in the fifth). I’m wondering if that might discourage them from addressing the edge position at No. 27 overall.

Ravens: Fact Vs. Opinion - Todd Karpovich

Fact: The Ravens ranked last in the NFL averaging 171.2 yards passing per game last season. Baltimore also attempted the least passes in the league with 406.

Opinion: Baltimore needs to have a more prolific passing attack to make a Super Bowl run. The team is fully focused on improving the passing game this offseason and providing quarterback Lamar Jackson with more weapons. With a full offseason, look for the Ravens to be much improved despite the ongoing criticisms.

Fact: The Ravens will host defensive end Justin Houston this week.

Opinion: Houston would be a solid fit in Baltimore. He’s a durable, aggressive pass rusher that could help fill the void left by those recent departures that could hamper the pass rush. Last season, Houston was second on the Colts with eight sacks and 12 quarterback hits over 16 games. He also finished with 25 tackles (eight for a loss), one forced fumble, two fumbles recovered and two safeties. However, the Ravens might not sign him until May 3 when the deal would not factor into their potential comp picks.

10 NFL draft prospects who could have better careers as pros: Davis Mills, Jayson Oweh could break out- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford: In his final college game, Fehoko showed his potential to be a dominant, go-to target with 16 catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns in a double-overtime win against UCLA. That production, however, represented a high point he never came close to matching at any other point in his career, during which he recorded 62 catches and made just five starts. At 6-4 and 222 pounds with a penchant for making circus catches and using his speed (4.43 seconds in the 40) to beat cornerbacks vertically, Fehoko evokes comparisons to Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf. While his acclimation to the NFL might be extended given his unpolished routes and issues with drops, few other receivers in this class can match his upside.

2021 NFL Draft: Biggest pro and con for PFF’s top DB prospects - Anthony Treash

3. S TREVON MOEHRIG, TCU

Biggest pro: Ball production

Moehrig made 28 plays on the ball over the last two years, five more than any other Power 5 safety, and he ballhawked his way to the No. 1 coverage grade among that same group over that span.

The TCU product is not an easy man to outmuscle, either. Moehrig’s strength shows in his hits and even landed him a spot on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” this past season.

He didn’t bench at his pro day but has reportedly maxed out at 400 pounds, which is the equivalent of 26 reps of 225. Those 26 reps would tie for the seventh-most by a safety at the NFL Scouting Combine this century. Moehrig has also been on record squatting 640 and power cleaning 370.

Biggest con: Balance

There were moments when Moehrig struggled with his balance and had some difficulty coming back from a false step. Still, there are very few negatives to speak of in Moehrig’s scouting report. He is the clear-cut best safety in the class and should be the only player at the position taken in Round 1 in April.

3-Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Who moves up for Fields? - Matthew Valdovinos

27. Baltimore Ravens: Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State

The question isn’t whether or not a team will fall in love with Jayson Oweh’s traits. The question is, which team will fall in love with them?

One of the most impressive athletes we’ve ever seen, Oweh goes in the same range Montez Sweat did in the 2019 NFL Draft. Oweh’s tools didn’t lead to college production, but there were flashes of nuance and technique. In Baltimore, Oweh would be in one of the top organizations at developing defensive talent. A fully developed Jayson Oweh is a terrifying thought to have.

58) Baltimore Ravens

Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

104) Baltimore Ravens

James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati