Getty The Baltimore Ravens pick is made during the 2018 NFL Draft.
As usual, the Baltimore Ravens pick a bit further down in the first-round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and while it might seem like a disadvantage, it can actually be a bonus for a team looking to make a trade or two to shake things up.
Baltimore isn’t often a team that makes bold moves in the draft, but if they elect to, there is a trade possibility the team should be considering that could help them in addressing multiple needs they have in a confident way.
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Recently, NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter put together a piece dissecting some of the top trades that could be made for the draft period. He included the Ravens potentially trading out of the 28 spot with the Atlanta Falcons and picking up some mid-round ammunition as a good move for the team.
He wrote:
“If the Falcons want to buy into the QB lottery, they’ll select one fourth overall. But if they want to win in 2021, they’ll select tight end Kyle Pitts at No. 4 (while they could trade that choice to a QB-needy team, I happen to think a weapon like Pitts is worth taking in the top five), then move into the late first round to get a desperately-needed pass rusher. As was mentioned earlier, the value at defensive end is in the lower third of the first round this year. Oklahoma’s Ronnie Perkins, Penn State’s Jayson Oweh and Miami’s duo of Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau could all be around where Baltimore’s set to select.
The Ravens may have interest in one of those players, too, but they could also be motivated to trade out to find value on the edge in a later round. In past drafts, they’ve found linebackers Tyus Bowser (Round 2, 2017), Matt Judon (Round 5, 2016), Za’Darius Smith (Round 4, 2015) and Pernell McPhee (Round 5, 2011) outside the first round. This year, potential selections include Daelin Hayes (Notre Dame), Janarius Robinson (Florida State) and Elerson Smith (Northern Iowa).
Atlanta moves a fourth- and fifth-round pick (they have three in the latter round) to Baltimore in his deal.”
Picking up a few extra spots in the draft would be huge for the Ravens, who could use the selections to mine some gold in the middle and later rounds. Recently, the Ravens have done impressive work here, so if Eric DeCosta was to add these extra picks to his arsenal, he could prove to be even more dangerous in filling out the depth for the team.
Regardless of what spot the Ravens look to target, getting more picks from a trade such as this would be a good way to go about the challenge of renovating the roster.
Ravens’ Edge Rusher Options for Draft
What spot could Baltimore target with some extra picks? The Ravens should have plenty of ways to fill this defensive end need for the future in the draft. Baltimore picks 27th overall, and if they stay there, the team could be looking at a few options in that zone of the draft such as Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh, Michigan’s Kwity Paye or Georgia linebacker Azeez Ojulari. Miami’s Gregory Rousseau could also be in the mix, but could be gone by the time Baltimore picks. Even though the Ravens have big needs at the spot of wideout, it could be argued that edge is the bigger need like in this case. If that is true, the team will have to step up and find a solution relatively quick in the NFL Draft in order to solve the need.
Ravens 2021 Draft Picks
This draft period, the Ravens will have plenty of ammunition to work with already, picking at 27, 58, 104, 131, 171, 184 and 210. That list of selections includes two compensatory selections which were gained from the Ravens losing free agents. Those seven selections should help the Ravens in a big way when it comes to not only finding some difference makers in the draft, but filling out the overall depth for the team.
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