Getty Patrick Queen celebrates a big play.
The Baltimore Ravens had what most experts agree is a top draft class in the NFL, and such an expert is Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.
After watching what his hometown Ravens were able to do all weekend long, Kiper came away insanely impressed. In fact, he handed the team an ‘A’ grade for their work of the weekend in a new ESPN Insider piece, nearly the highest total Kiper could give a team’s class.
Why was Kiper so high on the class? For starters, it patched holes and included some players other teams were overlooking that ended up being potential steals for the team.
Here’s a look at what Kiper wrote about why the grade was so high in Baltimore:
“Look at this Ravens roster. Where are the holes? Definitely middle linebacker. Maybe wide receiver. Probably a guard to replace Marshal Yanda. But that’s it. So I liked that the Ravens got an off-ball linebacker at No. 28 whom Lamar Jackson called “Ray Lewis Jr.,” and I liked that they didn’t have to move up to get him. Patrick Queen started only 16 games in his LSU career, but his talent bursts on the tape. He’s a fit as a long-term C.J. Mosley replacement. (By the way: Baltimore has now drafted three linebackers in the first round: Lewis in 1996, Mosley in 2014 and Queen. Those first two were/are pretty good.)
So as you can see, all five of them were at least 20 spots higher on my final Big Board. That’s outstanding value. Baltimore fortified the middle of its defense — it gave up 4.4 yards per carry last season, most in franchise history — got a playmaker to help Jackson in the slot, and picked a tackle with guard experience who could compete to take over for Yanda, along with fourth-round pick Ben Bredeson (143). I’m also a big fan of James Proche (201), a super-productive pass-catcher who could fill a role, and safety Geno Stone (219) could be a special-teams menace as a rookie. Getting him in the seventh round is stellar.
General manager Eric DeCosta had another really strong draft. Expect Baltimore to be a Super Bowl contender again.”
It’s more than possible that is the case given how deep the team already is and how good the class is. Baltimore attacked needs from start to finish, and got great value. For that reason, Kiper is a big fan.
Cal Ripken Welcomes Ravens Rookies
Saturday afternoon, former Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. hopped on Twitter and shared a special welcome with all the new players. He also told his own story of being drafted, which is much different than the football players deal with today.
Here’s a look at Ripken Jr. and his welcome:
To the new @Ravens: @patrickqueen_, @Jkdobbins22, @MadubuikeJustin, @Leek_39, @Dev_Duv5, @Tyrethefuture, Ben Bredeson, Broderick Washington, James Proche & @GenoStone22, welcome to Baltimore! Excited to watch you play this @NFL season.
Obviously, it’s nice for the players to get such a royal welcome to their new home in Baltimore from a man who is truly a legendary figure in the city.
Michael Phelps Welcomed Patrick Queen to Ravens
Ripken Jr. wasn’t the only Baltimore figure wishing the players luck. After the Baltimore Ravens selected linebacker Patrick Queen with pick No. 28 in the 2020 NFL Draft, Phelps hopped on and provided a welcome to Queen. Additionally, he also gave him some top notch advice as to how to begin his career in town.
1. Welcome to Baltimore.
2. Call @raylewis 😂
@MichaelPhelps welcomes @Patrickqueen_ to Baltimore and offers some advice. 😈
“First thing, welcome to Baltimore. Second piece of advice? Call Ray Lewis. That man knows everything you need to know about covering the middle. Play well. You already won one championship. Let’s do it again in the big leagues. Good luck,” Phelps said.
A call to Lewis is never a bad idea for any Ravens newcomer, but for Queen, it might be vital. The young linebacker will be taking over a key position on the defense, and one Lewis knows well. Queen is self aware enough that he is likely to take this advice and run with it to help himself out.
Phelps would also know what it takes to be successful in an athletic field, so it would be wise for Queen to heed the words of the legend.
As a whole, the class was not only welcomed by a few Baltimore institutions but graded highly by another one.
READ NEXT: Grading Ravens Entire 2020 NFL Draft Class