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Ravens Draft: Ranking Top Needs Plus Ideal Fits For Each Day

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Ravens NFL Draft

Getty The Ravens have several needs heading into 2023 NFL Draft but the top two remain the same.

The 2023 NFL Draft is nye and the Baltimore Ravens still have several needs they need to address despite a quietly productive first few waves of free agency in which they added a pair of former first-round wide receivers that includes Odell Beckham Jr.

Without a wealth of capital in terms of picks as they currently only have five selections, their lowest total since 1999 when they had a franchise-record low four, general manager Eric DeCosta and Co. will have to be very judicious and even more strategic than they usually are in their approach to the draft this year.

With that in mind, here is a ranking of the team’s top needs heading into the annual three-day event along with prospects that they could target to address them on each day.

1A.) Cornerback

With three-time Pro Bowl veteran Marcus Peters still sitting on the open market, the Ravens are in need of a new starter opposite of three-time Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey. The signing of Beckham Jr. slightly moved the need for a No. 2 corner ahead of wide receiver. Thankfully, this is one of the strongest and deepest positions in the draft where starting caliber prospects can be had in the top three rounds for sure and possibly even the fourth depending on how the board falls.

Day 1 fit: Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

The former Bulldog would be the perfect candidate to replace Peters given his superb instincts and ball skills. He holds the NCAA record for career interception returns for touchdowns after he took back six of his 14 career interceptions for scores in three seasons and just 35 games. Despite his lack of desirable measurables only in terms of weight at 166 pounds, he is still a willing and aggressive tackler that doesn’t shy away from getting involved in run defense.

Day 2 fit: Darius Rush, South Carolina

While his fellow former Gamecock, Cam Smith, has received more national recognition and will likely get taken higher, Rush projects to be just as capable of a starter on the outside. His is a converted wide receiver with good ball skills and anticipation when it comes to breaking of the ball for an interception or pass breakup. He broke up 15 passes and picked off three passes the past two season and had a great week at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Day 3 fit: Jakorian Bennett, Maryland

The former Terp also performed well at the Senior Bowl and was one of the best performer at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine with his incredible athletic testing numbers that included running a blazing 4.3 in the 40-yrd dash. His college teammate, Deonte Banks, will likely be in consideration for the Ravens in the first round but if they bypass him, Bennett would be an intriguing option in the fourth round.

He actually showed more ball skills in college than his higher-rated teammate with five interceptions and 22 pass breakups the past two seasons per Sports Reference compared to Banks’ one interception and eight pass breakups, all of which came in 2022.

1B.) Wide Receiver

Prior to the additions of Beckhams and fellow veteran Nelson Agholor, this was at the top of the Ravens offseason to-do list but they’ve delivered on their vow to “build up” the position group. However, both of those established players are only under contract for one year.

The only other receivers on the roster under contract beyond 2023 are Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace who were selected in the first and fourth round in the 2021 respectively. The team still needs to add more youth and playmaking ability at the position after having the league’s least productive unit last year.

Day 1 fit: Zay Flowers, Boston College

The former Eagle has been the most popularly mocked receiver to land with the Ravens throughout the pre-draft cycle and especially over the past month. He can stretch the field, play much bigger than his 5’9″ and 182 pounds size suggests, and is both explosive and electric after the catch. Flowers averaged 15.3 yards per reception and set career-highs across the board in 2022 with 78 catches, 1,077 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns according Sport Reference. He’d be perfect in new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s offense that emphasizes getting dynamic playmakers in open space.

Day 2 fit: Josh Downs, UNC Chapel Hill

The former Tar Heel is another undersized yet dynamic weapon in the passing game that is electric after the catch and is both creative and crisp when it comes to route running. He posted back-to-back seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards the past two years and scored a combined 19 touchdowns that included a career-high 11 in 2022. Downs would provide the Ravens with a dynamic slot option given the wealth of those type of receivers in this year’s class. He could still be on the board in the third round while the few bigger-bodied wideouts like Jonathan Mingo of Ole Miss, Cedric Tillman of Tennessee, and Rashee Rice of SMU get taken in the second round.

Day 3 fit: Charlie Jones, Purdue

After two quite seasons as an Iowa Hawkeye, his production exploded in his lone season as  Boiler Maker last year. His career-high 110 receptions for 1,361 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns according to Sports Reference were more than double his combined career totals up through his first three collegiate seasons. He runs crisp routes, can make contested catches, and made several big plays going up against cornerbacks that will get drafted much higher than him.

2.) Defensive Line

Following the release of six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell to clear cap space and with both Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington heading into the final year of the rookie contracts, fortifying the trenches on this side of the ball is a need for 2023 and beyond.

Interior pass rush has become increasingly more valuable in the modern NFL and having defensive linemen that can line up in multiple spots across the formation and collapse the pocket by applying pressure up the middle is just as if not even more paramount as having a top-tier edge rusher.

Day 1 fit: Bryan Bresee, Clemson

The former Tiger was the No. 1 ranked recruit in the nation coming out of high school and flashed as a true freshman in 2020 before injuries and adversity prevented him from reaching his full potential in college. He is projected to be a much better professional player and could be a steal late in the first round if the Ravens trade back a few spots. Bresee can play any spot on the defensive line and even bump out to edge in a pinch which make an every-down defender.

Day 2 fit: Gervon Dexter Sr., Florida

While he’s not quite as tall as Campbell, the former Gator can play a similar role to him it comes to being an great run-stuffing five-technique and he also has upside as an interior pass rusher. At 6’6″ and 310 pounds, he’s literally built for it and has the ability to consistently take on and split double teams to make plays in the backfield or provide a path for his teammates to finish the play. The Ravens reportedly hosted him for one of their official top 30 pre-draft visits so he certainly a prospect they’ll be monitoring on the second day.

Day 3 fit: Karl Brooks, Bowling Green

The former Eagle also possesses the ability to line up at multiple spots along the front and racked up 17.5 sacks the past two seasons including a career-high 10 in 2022. He was a standout at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl both in practice and the all-star game itself which is talent pool that the Ravens regularly pull from.

3.) Edge

The Ravens’ cupboard isn’t bare at the position with what they view as a pair of first-round picks in 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh and 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo to go along with veteran Tyus Bowser. However, their leader in sacks last season was seasoned veteran Justin Houston with 9.5 at 33 years old. He remains a free agent and likely won’t make a decision to continue playing until around the time teams report for training camp.

Replenishing their depth chart with some promising rotational pieces in a draft class that beleived to be deep at edge defender would be a smart move so they don’t enter the 2023 season with just three outside linebackers on the roster like they did last year.

Day 1 fit: Will Macdonald, Iowa State

The Ravens historically value college production when it comes to pass rushers and the former Cyclone racked up 34 sacks and 40.5 tackles for loss during his college career including a pair of of back-to-back double-digit sacks seasons from 2020-2021. He has great bend and explosiveness off the edge and a well-rounded game with spin moves and violently active hands that more than make up for his lack of ideal size at 239 pounds.

Day 2 fit: Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame

The former member of the Fighting Irish was been consistently productive in college, improving his sack total each season that included back-to-back seasons of 10 or more the past two years. The Ravens have taken a defensive player from this school the past two years and if Foskey is still available in the third round, he might entice them enough to make it three in a row.

Day 3 fit: Isaiah Land, Florida A&M

The former Rattler was highly productive as they come during his college career, As a junior, he was the Buck Buchanan Award winner given to the National Defensive Player of the Year after leading the country with 19 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss in 2021. While he’s a bit undersized at 6’3″ and 236 pounds but he also showed at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl that he can play off the ball as well and would be an ideal fit to play the SAM in a 3-4 scheme.

Ferris State’s Caleb Murphy is another late-round target they could consider at the position. He also put up gaudy sack stats at a lower level of competition with a career-high and nation-leading 25.5 sacks last season, breaking the college single-season record of Ravens legend Terrell Suggs.

4.) Offensive Guard

The Ravens have a vacancy in their starting lineup at left guard after Ben Powers departed in free agency to sign a lucrative contract with the Denver Broncos. While they have a handful of in-house options that they like, have shown promise, and have some experience, it likely won’t preclude them from adding more competition in the draft.

Day 1 fit: Steve Avila, TCU

The former Horned Frog’s stock has been on the steady rise throughout the pre-draft process that he is now being viewed as potential late first round pick.  He possesses the positional versatility that the Ravens covet as he played every position along the offensive line except left tackle during his time in college. Last year was his first at left guard and he earned first-time Big-12 and second-team AP All-American honors after not allowing a single sack in 515 pass blocking snaps and helped pave the way for a potent rushing attack for the national championship runner-ups.

Day 2 fit: Anthony Bradford, LSU

The former Tiger is a road grader in the run game at 6’4″ and 332 pounds and while most of his starting experience came at right guard, he has spent time on the left side at tackle as well so he too possesses some intriurging personality. He is great on pulls and combo blocks when working up to the second level and would bring more size and quality depth to the roster.

Day 3 fit: Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan

The former Eagle was a started every year he was in college with the vast majority of his experience coming at left guard but he also spent time at left tackle. At 6’5″ and 323 pounds, he has the size and frame to be mauler in the run game but needs to improve in pass protection to a have a chance at being a full-time starter at the next level.

5.) Quarterback

There’s still some uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of former unanimous league MVP Lamar Jackson with the team and primary backup Tyler Huntley is only under contract for one more year as well. To avoid being shorthanded at the position this year as a result of either injury or potential holdout, adding a developmental prospect that could be the next No. 2 and perhaps a quality stop-gap starter could and should be in consideration.

Day 1 fit: Anthony Richardson, Florida

The former Gator has been projected to go as high as the inside the top four picks but if he falls all the way to the Ravens’ lap at No. 22 overall, they’d probably think long a hard before turning in the card. He was the only prospect at the position that they reportedly hosted for an official pre-draft top 30 visit and possesses the electrifying dynamic playmaking ability they’ve become accustomed to at quarterback over the past five years.

Day 2 fit: Jaren Hall, BYU

If the Ravens don’t take a quarterback in the first they will most certainly hold off until day three but of the options that are projected to come off the board on the second day, the former Cougar would be a solid choice. While he doesn’t offer much in terms of above-average mobility, he has some juice as a runner is still proficient, poised, and accurate when throwing from the pocket.

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Day 3 fit: Stetson Bennett, Georgia

The former Bulldog is the most common prospect at the position outside of the first round that is being projected to land with the Ravens and for good reason. He was the signal caller under center for first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken for the past two years and helped lead the program to back-to-back national titles. His familiarity with both the play caller and playbook makes him the ideal late-round target.

6.) Running Back

While the Ravens are essentially set at the position for the 2023 season, veteran Justice Hill is the only member of their backfield under contract beyond this year. With both J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards more than a year removed from their respective severe knee injuries and heading into contract years, adding a dynamic talent in a loaded running back draft would be a strategic and forward-thinking move.

Day 1 fit: Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

While Texas’ Bijan Robinson will likely be long gone by the time they’re on the clock on Thursday, the former member of the Crimson Tide is the only prospect at the position that is viewed as worthy of being selected in the first round although No. 22 overall would be a bit of a reach in terms of positional value. Nevertheless, he’s an electrifying weapon that would excel in Monken’s offense that looks to get playmakers the ball in space.

Day 2 fit: Tyjae Spears, Tulane

The former member of the Green Wave is one of the most explosive, productive, and highly efficient players at the position in this year’s class. He averaged nearly seven yards a carry in college and last year Spears totaled over 1,800 yards and scored 21 touchdowns from scrimmage that included over 1,500 and 19 scores on the ground alone. The Ravens reportedly met with him at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine so he’s definitely on their radar.

Day 3 fit: Kenny McIntosh, Georgia

Like Bennett, the former Bulldog also thrived in and is familiar with Monken’s offense. He was a dynamic weapon in his final year of college that especially stood out as a pass catcher out of the backfield. His poor 40-yard dash time and other underwhelming testing numbers will likely cause him to fall to the fifth round where the Ravens could pounce.

Honorable Mention: Safety

At the onset of the offseason, this was arguably the Ravens’ biggest position of strength and played a key role in their schematic versatility down the stretch of the 2022 season, especially when it came to disguising coverages and pressures.

However, following the trade of stalwart veteran Chuck Clark to the New York Jets in order to create cap space, that is no longer the case. They’re still strong at the position with veteran ballhawk Marcus Williams and 2022 first-rounder Kyle Hamilton slated to be the new starting duo with underrated 2020 seventh-rounder Geno Stone rounding out the bunch.

If they want to continue deploying Hamilton in a multifaceted role as a hybrid safety/slot defender, adding another strong safety, in particular, or finding their next hybrid would make sense for the team.

Day 1 fit: Brian Branch, Alabama

The former member of the Crimson Tide played the same hybrid role in college that Hamilton played as a rookie and has the versatile skillset and physical dimensions that make him better suited to execute those duties at the NFL level. His presence would allow the Ravens to keep Hamilton at strong safety and still keep the same schematic flexibility that they had with Clark last year.

Day 2 fit: Jordan Battle, Alabama 

The other starting safety for the Crimson Tide is perfectly suited to play the traditional strong safety spot down in the box. He is at his best and extremely aggressive playing downhill where he can make his presence felt at and behind the line of scrimmage but also possesses some strong coverage skills and playmaking ability.

Day 3 fit: Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State

The former Nittany Lion aptly nicknamed ‘The Turnover King’ after he was responsible for 14 total turnovers including 10 interceptions in his final two years of college could sneak in the bottom of the third round based on his instincts and pedigree. But if his poorer-than-expected athletic testing numbers cause him to fall to the fourth round, he could prove to be the steal of the draft based on the potential impact he can have, especially in a dynamic secondary like the one the Ravens have.

Josh Reed covered the Baltimore Ravens for Heavy.com from 2022 to 2023. His NFL coverage has been featured on SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and Maryland Sports Blog. Based in Alaska, he also covers local sports for the Anchorage Daily News. More about Josh Reed

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