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The second night of the 2022 NFL Draft wasn’t nearly as wild or chaotic for the Baltimore Ravens on Friday as it was on Thursday. They were able to stick with the “Best Available Player” formula while still addressing two of their top perceived needs, with the selections of David Ojabo in the second round and Travis Jones in the third.
However, General Manager Eric DeCosta still has some work left to do, several needs that still need to be addressed, and possesses plenty of draft capital to get it done. With seven picks left at their disposal including a staggering six in the fourth round alone, the Ravens are well equipped to round out their roster on Day 3.
Cornerback
This remains as their biggest need on the defensive side of the ball after not addressing it for the second day in a row. Thankfully, there are still many promising prospects at the position of different dimensions and skillsets left to choose from. An early run on cornerbacks to start Day 3 could be very possible. Some of the top remaining options are Coby Bryant of Cincinnati, Zyon McCollum of Sam Houston State, Tariq Woolen of Texas-San Antonio, and Jayln Armour-Davis of Alabama.
Offensive tackle
DeCosta emphasized the team’s desire to build up their depth and provide more insurance at the position behind All-Pro left tackle, Ronnie Stanley, and projected starting right tackle, Morgan Moses. He has yet to do so but luckily for him, there are still several quality prospects that fit their scheme and could fill that need. Some of the top remaining options include Daniel Faalele of Minnesota, Rasheed Walker of Penn State, Zach Tom of Wake Forest, and Max Mitchell of Louisiana.
Wide Receiver
One could make a strong argument that this positional need is right up there with corner and offensive tackle, given that they didn’t address it on Day 2. There was an early run on wideouts in the second round shortly after the Ravens picked Ojabo. By the time they were on the clock for the first time in the third, the value was no longer there and Jones was too good to pass up.
Nevertheless, they can still find a wide receiver prospect that can help replace the over-the-top speed element that was lost when they traded Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to the Arizona Cardinals. Some speedster options they could explore include Calvin Austin III of Memphis, Khalil Shakir of Boise State, and Bo Melton of Rutgers.
Tight end
In addition to receiver, the Ravens could still benefit from selecting a tight end to serve in a complementary role behind/alongside firest-team All-Pro selection Mark Andrews. Even though the top four prospects at the position came off the board on Day 2, there are still a quite few with the ability to contribute in that role left to choose from. Some of the best remaining candidates are Isaiah Likely of Coastal Carolina, Jake Ferguson of Wisconsin, Cade Otton of Washington, and Charlie Kolar of Iowa State.
Running Back
This remains an under-the-radar need for the Ravens heading into the final day of the draft. Only six running back prospects at the position were drafted between the second and third rounds. There is still an abundance to choose from in the fourth round. They will have plenty of chances to take one that possesses a complete skill set or can at least fill a role in the rotation. A few of the top options remaining are Pierre Strong Jr. of South Dakota State, Zamir White of Georgia, Dameon Pierce of Florida, and Isaiah Spiller of Texas A&M.
EDGE
Even though they took Ojabo with their first pick on Day 2, the former Wolverine is recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered at his Pro Day. He may not be available to start the season and it could take a while for him to fully heal. Adding another edge rusher could be in play as early as the fourth round for the Ravens if the value is right, given all the picks they are currently slated to make. Some options still available include Micheal Clemons of Texas A&M, Amare Barno of Virginia Tech, and Christopher Allen of Alabama.
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