Getty The Baltimore Ravens were named a top fit for former Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson
With the Baltimore Ravens‘ loss of linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy and their combined 18.5 sacks in 2023 to free agency, the team could use some of its nine draft picks to attempt to replace their production.
That’s why the Ravens are one of the best fits for former Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson, according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder.
“Robinson is undoubtedly on the Ravens’ radar … [and] could easily hit the ground running and be a productive pass-rusher in Baltimore this fall,” Holder wrote in a March 31 story on “best fits for top defenders to contribute as rookies.”
Holder wrote that Robinson is “probably a year or two away from being a full-time starter or every-down player” but that his “elite athleticism will help him make an impact as a pass-rusher in year one.”
The Ravens hold the No. 30 overall pick in the first round, and B/R ranks Robinson as the 20th best prospect and fourth best edge rusher. Several prominent mock drafters project Robinson getting selected anywhere from 22nd to 27th to 29th.
Holder also called the Dallas Cowboys, who have the 24th overall pick, a “best fit” for Robinson.
All About Potential for Chop Robinson
Robinson didn’t put up huge numbers during his time at Penn State, even though he was named first-team All-Big Ten in 2023 by coaches and the media after making 7.5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks.
The most productive season was 2022, when he had 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks as a sophomore.
For Robinson, his draft stock is all about potential.
“Robinson’s electric athletic traits alone should give him a floor as a good NFL starter,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in Robinson’s draft profile. “If he crafts a rush approach and learns to string moves/counters together, he could reach his ceiling as a destructive force capable of forcing teams to game plan around him.
Robinson showed off his athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine, clocking the second fastest 40-yard dash time for an edge at 4.48 seconds. He was also second best in the broad jump and the 20-yard shuttle.
Ravens’ Big Pass Rush Need
A big part of the Ravens’ success on defense in 2023 was based on their ability to get to opposing quarterbacks.
They led the league in sacks with 60.
Unfortunately, their pass rush looks like it could be a lot less impressive in 2024.
The team has already lost Jadeveon Clowney Clowney to free agency after he had 9.5 sacks for them last season. Van Noy is still testing free agency after racking up 9 sacks in 2023.
They also lost Patrick Queen, who had 3.5 sacks as an inside linebacker.
Without those three on the roster, the Ravens are missing more than a third of their sacks from last season.
They have some players that could step into larger this roles to help make up for it.
Odafe Oweh had five sacks last season and should see a lot more playing time opening up for him. David Ojabo has struggled to stay healthy through the first two years of his NFL career, but was seen as a pretty strong prospect before a torn achilles suffered at his Pro Day did major damage to his draft stock.