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The 2023 NFL Draft is finally here and the Baltimore Ravens will have three days to add some young, promising, and relatively inexpensive talent. General Manager Eric DeCosta said that this annual event is the “lifeblood” of this organization and an integral tool in their roster construction process.
With limited cap space due to placing the nonexclusive franchise tender on former unanimous league MVP-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson, hitting on and possibly acquiring more picks is vitally important in order for them to build the best team they can with their available resources.
In an ideal scenario, I’d love for the team to trade back either later or out of the first round entirely to get more picks since they have just five which is their fewest since 1999 when they had and made just four selections.
However, for the sake of this exercise and since draft-day trades can be so unpredictable, I won’t project any and will just predict that the Ravens use all their original picks to address their needs.
Round 1 (No. 22): CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
The Ravens’ most glaring need heading into the draft is at cornerback where they need a new No. 2 opposite of three-time Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey since veteran three-time Pro Bowler Marcus Peters remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent.
Replacing a renowned ballhawk with the best one in the draft and in all of college football the past three years makes too much sense not to happen if he makes it down this far. While the former Bulldog’s less-than-desirable measurables when it comes to him weighing 166 pounds at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is a concern for some teams, his production, athleticism, and instincts are undeniable and as impressive as they come.
Forbes logged 14 interceptions during his collegiate career and holds the NCAA record for interceptions returned for touchdowns with six per Sports Reference. He also tested off the charts at the Combine with a blazing 4.35 in the 40-yard dash with a 10-yard split of 1.48, a mark of 37.5″ in the vertical jump, and a broad jump of 10’11”. His ball skills and anticipation are incredible and he’s an aggressive tackler and willing participant in run defense.
Round 3 (No. 86): WR Rashee Rice, SMU
In a draft class littered with undersized yet dynamic slot receivers, the Ravens land one of the few big-bodied options with big-play potential. While the last wideout they took from this school has yet to pan out, unlike James Proche who was selected in the sixth round in 2020 and played bigger than his size in college, Rice possesses prototypical size at 6’1″ and over 200 pounds and knows how to use it as a natural ‘X’ receiver.
The former Mustang had a breakout senior season in 2021 in which he recorded career-highs in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,355), and touchdowns (10) in 12 games according to Sports Reference. He has a big catch radius, can go up for and come down with contested catches in the jump ball and red zone situations, and can stretch the ball vertically as well.
With more refinement to his craft through the coaching he’d receive if taken by the Ravens from new wide receivers coach Greg Lewis and renowned wide receiver guru Keith Williams, Rice could become a dangerous weapon in their passing game.
Round 4 (No. 24): DE Gervon Dexter Sr., Florida
The Ravens created a void at defensive end following the release of six-time Pro Bowler Calais Campbell to clear cap space and even though the former Gator isn’t as tall as the seasoned veteran, at 6’6″ and 310 pounds, he can still help offset his departure.
Dexter is already a high-level run defender with the way he takes on and splits double teams on a regular basis. He recorded 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in college the past three years and while he isn’t a polished or consistent interior pass rusher, his tape showed flashes of a player that can be a factor on every down.
Round 5 (No. 157) EDGE Isaiah Land, Florida A&M
I was tempted to have the Ravens take an offensive guard with this pick to add more competition in the running to replace veteran Ben Powers on the left side. But they’ve shown that they’re among the league’s best at finding a developing undrafted gems when it comes to interior offensive linemen.
This team historically values production because they believe it almost always transfers to the pro level. The former Rattler was highly productive during his collegiate career including winning the Buck Buchanan Award winner given to the National Defensive Player of the Year as a junior. He led the country with 19 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss in 2021 and followed it up with a solid eight-sack senior season in 2022.
Even though he’s a bit undersized at 236 pounds despite being 6’3″, he showcased the versatile skillset to play off the ball as well at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl, proving he can be an ideal backup to veteran Tyus Bowser at the SAM outside linebacker spot in the Ravens’ 3-4 scheme.
Round 6 (No. 199) QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia
The Ravens take the former Bulldog who is familiar with first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken and his system given that he was the starter for the back-to-back national champions. With the uncertainty surrounding Jackson’s long-term future with the team and his Pro Bowl backup, Tyler Huntley, only under contract for one more year, selecting a prospect at the position that is already familiar with their new play caller to be the next primary backup makes perfect sense.
Bennett possesses a strong arm throws a beautiful deep ball and he has underrated athleticism that makes him a threat to run on scrambles, zone read, and designed run plays. He is coming off a career year in which he threw for over 4,100 yards and 27 touchdowns to seven interceptions and added another 10 touchdowns on the ground according to Sports Reference.
Priority Free Agent: RB Duece Vaughn, Kansas State
The Ravens only have one running back under contract past the 2023 season and both J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards are heading into the final years of their respective deals. Given the depth at the position in this year’s class, the former Wildcat could go undrafted despite his elite production in college due to his severe lack of size at 5’5″ and 179 pounds.
The pint-sized playmaker is a dynamic back that can run, catch, and make plays in space. In his past two years, he recorded back-to-back seasons of over 1,400 rushing yards and 1,800 yards from scrimmage and scored a combined 34 touchdowns per Sports Reference. He’d be a nice complementary weapon in the Monkens offense who could use his patience and size to his advantage as a runner and especially in the screen game where he can hide behind his blockers and then explode into the second and third levels of the defense.
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