Making a strength stronger. That has been a theme for the Ravens in the 2017 offseason. The Ravens had a very good defense in 2016. They had a top run defense and solidified it for years to come by re-signing Brandon Williams. They proceeded to bring in the best Safety in free agency and a starting CB to play opposite of Jimmy Smith after Shareece Wright did not pan out. The Ravens now continued to add to the secondary through the draft with first round selection Marlon Humphrey. Humphrey has great size and speed and is a natural fit at outside CB. An argument could be made that the Ravens now have the most talented secondary in the NFL, a unit that has been decimated by injury in recent seasons. So the Ravens have a deep secondary and a run-stuffing defensive front, but what about the pass-rush? Ozzie & Co. have to be thinking they can find a quality edge rusher in day 2, after all the team does select 3 times in the first 46 picks of Day 2 of the draft. The Ravens also have needs at WR and OL, and I would expect at least two of these positions to be addressed on day 2. Here are some potential options the Ravens will have in the 2nd and 3rd rounds: 

You can discuss the Ravens Draft options on our message boards and follow along in our live draft thread as well:

Edge Rusher:

Carl Lawson, Auburn (Round 2) : Lawson is a good athlete although may be somewhat undersized for a DE. He should be a good fit at rush LB for the Ravens. He had a productive 2016 for Auburn notching 9.5 sacks and 13.5 TFL. He will probably be one of the first edge rushers off the board in the 2nd round.

Tim Williams, Alabama (Round 2-3): Williams showed poorly at the NFL Combine and has some off the field question marks. That said, he has some of the most impressive pass-rush skills of any player in the draft. He may be a pass-rush specialist, but that skillset is exactly what the Ravens need on defense.

Derek Rivers, Youngstown State (Round 2-3): Rivers is a player that we have highlighted previously at BSL. The small-school product is an elite athlete with great production at Youngstown State. The Ravens have a history of taking small school players on defense, could Rivers be the next addition?

Tarrell Basham, Ohio (Round 3-4): Basham didn’t put up elite numbers like Rivers at the combine, but he did move well for a player of his size. At 6’4, 269 and 34 ¼” arms, Basham possesses rare length on the edge and he has production to match his size while playing at Ohio University, notching 27 sacks and 38.5 TFL in four seasons.

 Offensive Line:

Cam Robinson, Alabama (Round 2): Robinson was long considered the top offensive lineman in the 2017 draft class, but he did not hear his name called in the first round. He will likely come off the board early on day 2, but there is a chance he could be on the board when the Ravens pick. Robinson should be a plug and play OT or OG.

Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky (Round 2): Lamp is another player that was expected to go in the first round, but the run on QBs and offensive playmakers pushed him outside of the first round. Lamp is a spectacular athlete that played LT in college, but will most likely find a home at OG in the NFL because he lacks prototypical size.

Taylor Moton, Western Michigan (Round 2-3): Moton is another strong athlete that should start right away either at OT or OG. He may be the best run-blocking offensive lineman in the draft, routinely making defenders look silly on tape.

Pat Elflein, Ohio State (Round 2-3): Elflein is probably the top center prospect in the draft and could also play OG. He’s not a great athlete like some of the other offensive lineman in this class, but he shows good punch and ability to move people in the run game.

Wide Receiver:

Zay Jones, Eastern Carolina (Round 2): Jones set the FBS career reception record with 388 catches during his time at ECU. He also showed well at the Senior Bowl and had a fantastic Combine, demonstrating elite speed and explosiveness. His tape doesn’t quite match the workout numbers, but he has great hands and is a solid route runner. He will be a productive NFL WR.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC (Round 2): Smith-Schuster is the prototypical combination of size and speed teams look for in an NFL receiver. He had three productive seasons and USC, and while he never developed into a dominant collegiate player, the tools are easy to see. He may have the most potential upside of any day 2 WR.

Chris Godwin, Penn State (Round 2-3): Godwin did not have the same kind of production at Penn State that Jones had in college, but he did have a fantastic Combine highlighted by a 4.42 40. He is a bit inconsistent with his route running, but when he is at his best, he can take over games.

Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech (Round 3-4): Henderson is a human highlight reel who is an absolute beast when he has the ball in his hands. He forces missed tackles at an incredibly high rate and is also an excellent return specialist. Henderson may not be a consistent #1 WR in the NFL, but he will be a playmaker whenever he touches the ball.

Gabe Ferguson
Gabe Ferguson

Ravens Analyst

Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.

X