Finally….Draft Day!

At long last, we’ve reached Draft Day 2022. It’s been a more drawn-out offseason than we’re used to, given the Ravens missed out on the playoffs, but it all has led to this. Will Baltimore stay put at 14? Will they trade out of the First Round altogether? Will they trade back in to snag another franchise-changing player like they did with QB Lamar Jackson? We’ll all have answers by the end of tonight.

If ESPN Mock Drafts are worth anything, Jamison Hensley predicts Baltimore will take Georgia DT Jordan Davis at Pick 14.

In last night’s ESPN NFL Nation mock draft, here was my selection for the Ravens at No. 14: pic.twitter.com/6s8EHb40dK

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) April 27, 2022

Granted, it’s difficult to make trades in one such Mock Draft, but someone I trust is NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, who worked with Baltimore for a few years. Jeremiah has a good feel for the franchise’s front office, and he also has the Ravens selecting Davis in his final Mock Draft.

Davis continues to be a polarizing pick among the Flock, but personally I have a hard time seeing 13 teams pass on the former Bulldog. As Hensley says, Davis has an uncanny blend of size and quickness. Regardless of whether he’s the pick for DeCosta, Baltimore will have a great option if he’s on the board.

But there’s so much chatter surrounding Pick-14 tonight that I want to spend some time focusing on Days 2 & 3 in this Out to Lunch.

Here’s three names to look out for this weekend that I like for the Ravens:

First, Kentucky EDGE Josh Paschal could fall to the 3rd-Round, and that would be tremendous value for DeCosta. As RSR’s Dev Panchwagh notes, Paschal has an intriguing ability to win from the inside and off the edge, which Baltimore will surely like.

Josh Paschal offers definite pass-rush value btw. You have to see how his game — working outside & inside, on the line — will drive the entire pass rush & front as whole. The McPhee comp makes a ton of sense. Just like McPhee, he’ll hover in that 6-8 sack range w/ upside. #Ravens

— Dev Panchwagh (@devpanchwagh) April 27, 2022

Baylor’s Jalen Pitre is another potential target for this defense, but he’s more likely to be gone by the end of Friday night. Another versatile defender at Safety, Pitre could fit seamlessly into Baltimore’s defense, and hits like this would get Ravens fans pumped:

The Ravens like versatility

Jalen Pitre = Versatility pic.twitter.com/B8cD6RWMfX

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) April 27, 2022

Four years ago on Wednesday, the Ravens drafted stud weapon Mark Andrews, and that has certainly worked out well for QB Jackson & the franchise:

Four years ago today, the Ravens took Mark Andrews with the 86th overall pick in the 2018 draft

He’s gone on to become a force at the tight end position, catching 263 passes for 3,466 yards and 29 touchdowns over his first four years in the NFL pic.twitter.com/DE74L2Ltb1

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) April 27, 2022

But Baltimore may also deem Tight End depth a need in the later rounds. Jelani Woods & Chigoziem Okonkwo are popular picks, but Washington’s Cade Otton is another name to throw out.

Perception of Otton seems to be all over the place, but he has great potential as a jack-of-all-trades TE. He has good blocking technique, which Baltimore will certainly look for, but also can move and has strong hands. Keep an eye on him when we hit Rounds 3 or 4.

All in all, as we enter Draft Night, Twitter fan-favorite Ramey encapsulates my feelings perfectly:

Trying to figure out who I want the Ravens to draft tomorrow night pic.twitter.com/Tutz371Frp

— Ramey (@HoodieRamey) April 27, 2022

Nobody truly knows what the Ravens will do this evening, not even Eric DeCosta himself. But I’ve done so many Mock Drafts myself that I feel it’s right to leave you with my prediction.

At Pick 14, the Baltimore Ravens will not select anyone, but rather will trade back with the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay will look to snag a WR for Aaron Rodgers before the Eagles and Saints get two picks, while Baltimore will be willing to move with all top-of-the-board players taken.

When Pick 22 is turned in, however, DeCosta will be ecstatic with his decision. The Baltimore Ravens will be bringing in a few extra picks, will have more flexibility in the middle rounds, and will have selected a plug-and-play interior lineman in Boston College G/C Zion Johnson.

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