The Ravens are receiving some high grades throughout the NFL community for their 2016 draft class. They had a ton of picks, including five in the fourth round. Eric DeCosta stressed the importance of those mid-round picks last month at the Ravens pre-draft press conference. If you listen to some draft gurus around the league, the Ravens made them count. “This might be the best fourth round I’ve ever seen from a team,” said ESPN’s Todd McShay.
Of course, grades are somewhat meaningless immediately following the draft. Mel Kiper gave the Ravens an A- following their 2013 draft class that included Matt Elam and Arthur Brown in rounds one and two. Needless to say it’s impossible to really know how players will make the transition. However it’s safe to say the Ravens are a better team today than they were a week ago.
What might be the most overlooked, and possibly most impressive aspect of the Ravens’ draft is how they combined talent with high character. They found players who are just as revered for their reputation and football intelligence as they are for athletic ability. Considering some of the headaches and off-field drama the team has faced over the past few years, that’s probably not a coincidence.
In addition to a plethora of non-football issues, the team has dealt with early draft picks who have struggled to get on the field because they were unable to understand aspects of the playbook. They spent a second round pick on Arthur Brown in 2013. Despite all the talent he has athletically, he’s struggled to make an impact because he reportedly couldn’t grasp defensive and special teams assignments. Terrence Brooks, a third-round pick in 2014, has had similar problems with mental errors and a lack of understanding his position. It understandable why the Ravens probably placed such a high priority on finding players who possess high football intelligence this year.
Whether or not “gas mask-gate” forced the Ravens’ hand in choosing Ronnie Stanley, they landed a player who is praised as much for his intelligence and character as he is for his ability to block pass rushers. Stanley’s biggest off-field problem when he was in South Bend was his inability to avoid parking tickets. Notre Dame holds their players to such high standards it prevented him from being a team captain his senior year.
Third-round pick Bronson Kaufusi grew up a coach’s son, and it shows. The first line of his scouting report reads, “has an honest father as a coach who has been upfront about Bronson’s weaknesses and what he needed to work on. Plays with the motor expected from a coach’s son.” Kaufusi sounds like he has the tools, intangibles and work ethic the Ravens front office and coaching staff talk about when they use the phrase “Play Like a Raven.”
Then, there’s Keenan Reynolds, who has been one of the feel good stories of this year’s draft. Eric DeCosta was visibly emotional when describing the process of drafting Reynolds, who set FBS records for touchdowns (88) and rushing yards (4,559). He is a player who is described as having elite leadership skills and an incredible locker room presence. While it’s a heartwarming story, no one should be surprised if Reynolds is able to make the final 53-man roster. He has great vision and could find a role as a multi-use player contributing in both the return, rushing and receiving game. A Dexter McCluster-type player comes to mind.
The entire Ravens front office from top to bottom has been through the wringer in recent years when it comes to the character of their players. They’ve had to answer too many questions when it comes to things other than football. That’s why it’s probably no coincidence they placed a high priority this year on finding players who aren’t just good athletes, but good people as well.