OTL: It’s Shopping Day! Who Will the Ravens Add?

Well, tonight starts the annual three-day extravaganza at the old Player Store.

It matters not if your team is coming off a 13-4 season, a Super Bowl championship or a 4-13 stinkfest that endangered the mental health of the fan base, each team is looking to the draft as an opportunity to bring in a class that will echo through history and elevate the team to heights rarely seen before in modern civilization.

From strong-armed quarterbacks who can read defenses by instinct to 325-pound linemen who bring with them the intent to cause bodily damage each and every snap, the draft is hope personified. Each player brings with him the opportunity to be a star that will elevate the team and tantalize the fans.

And, of course, some bring stink. A whole lot of stink.

But that will all shake itself out with time. The game strips away draft position and expectations and all that once the players hit the field, and time will let us know emphatically which teams nailed the 2024 draft, and which teams managed to, well, stink.

As far as the Ravens go, they tend to do better than most teams at this whole draft thing, and they have nine picks to use on players or move around to target specific guys. The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec wrote an outstanding piece on just about everything you need to know about the Ravens’ situation leading into tonight’s action.

“When the three-day NFL Draft starts Thursday night, the Ravens will be sitting on nine picks, including No. 30 in the first round,” wrote Zrebiec. “They need offensive line and cornerback help. Wide receiver and edge rusher are again areas of concern. DeCosta has all but guaranteed that he’ll draft a running back. Depth would come in handy at inside linebacker and safety.”

Zrebiec shared his best-case and worst-case scenarios, as well as what he considers to be most likely.

“Guyton and/or Mims and Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan will be available to fill the team’s plug-and-play tackle needs, and so will at least one of DeJean, Wiggins or McKinstry at cornerback,” wrote Zrebiec. “There will also be edge rush and wide receiver options. DeCosta will have trade-back opportunities, too, and he’ll weigh how much he loves the top remaining player on his board with how much the Ravens covet more prime draft capital.”

As far as my personal hope and dream goes for the first round, Zrebiec highlighted that player as his wild-card option — Duke’s Graham Barton.

“He was a second-team All-American left tackle for the Blue Devils, but he’s expected to play center in the NFL,” wrote Zrebiec. “The Ravens don’t need a center with Tyler Linderbaum on the roster. They do, however, need a right tackle and starting-caliber guards. Barton is more than capable of playing those positions.”

Who Will the Ravens Pick in Tonight’s First Round?

The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer and Giana Han wrote a preview on the potential targets the Ravens might be considering tonight, and it was a really good read.

They identified 14 potential targets, and their top choice, Iowa’s Cooper DeJean, would be an interesting addition to the Ravens defensive backfield.

“DeJean is such a good athlete that he’s been projected to slot in at three different positions on defense: outside cornerback, nickel back and safety,” the pair wrote. “He’s also an exceptional returner. DeJean mostly played on the outside at Iowa, racking up seven interceptions over the past two seasons, but he has the athleticism and football IQ to pivot where needed. That versatility would be key for a Ravens secondary lacking depth at cornerback and safety. Draft projections have him going anywhere from the top 15 to early in the second round, though most lean toward the first round. DeJean would be a potential bargain for the Ravens at No. 30, addressing multiple needs without taking on too much risk.”

A news item that came out yesterday concerning the Ravens’ current roster was a three-year extension for receiver Rashod Bateman. While final terms have not come out yet, it is believed to be relatively team-friendly, and allows the former first-round pick a bit of a “reset” on his contract, since injuries stripped away the potential for him to showcase his talents consistently.

“Bateman’s first two seasons were derailed by injuries,” wrote ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “Bateman missed the first six games of his rookie season after undergoing hernia surgery and was then sidelined for the final nine games of his second season after having foot surgery.”

Head coach John Harbaugh still appears bullish on Bateman:

“Rashod is going to get opportunities this year,” Harbaugh said in March, according to Hensley. “He ran routes really well. He worked super hard. He was healthy for the first time — even as the year went on, he got healthier, and you could see it in his play. The ball got to him, [and] when it did, he made some great plays. The ball is going to get to him a lot more next year. He’s going to be ready to go.”

Also of note:

Who Will the Ravens Pick? Here’s What Mock Drafts Suggest | CBS News

“With the 30th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select Blake Corum,Michigan” pic.twitter.com/KovqJyb88c

— j$ (@khamszn) April 25, 2024

“With the 30th pick in the NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select…” pic.twitter.com/itY7Qal97k

— Lockdown Ar’Darius (@Gamergod29) April 25, 2024

This one stilll gets us @BSteve_1

Ready for more moments like this this weekend! pic.twitter.com/ihVPC4HW1S

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 24, 2024

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Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/04/25/out-to-lunch/otl-its-shopping-day-who-will-the-ravens-add/