Some have criticized the Ravens 2008 NFL Draft class.  The doubters suggest that Ozzie Newsome and Co. reached for a few players and that they failed to address some glaring needs. Instead the club remained true to their draft board and selected their highest rated players regardless of media projections and draft grades.    Those draft grades…how funny are they?  Aren’t they really the equivalent of  the student grading the professor?   That said the Ravens’ faithfulness to their board suggests two things: 1) They simply want to bring in … Continue reading →

Round 1 (18th pick) – Joe Flacco, quarterback – Delaware One way or another the Ravens were determined to get a quarterback in round one. When efforts to trade up and take Matt Ryan failed, the Ravens resorted to Plan B, trading down in order to get the second rated quarterback on their board. Fearing Flacco may be gone by the time they picked at 26, the Ravens traded back up with the Texans in order to draft the former Delaware star. Flacco’s rare size (6-foot-6, 236) and arm strength … Continue reading →

1. Miami Dolphins – Jake Long, OT – Michigan 2. St. Louis Rams – Chris Long, DE – Virginia 3. Atlanta Falcons – Glenn Dorsey, DT – LSU 4. Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden, RB – Arkansas 5. Kansas City Chiefs – Brandon Albert, OG/OT – Virginia 6. New York Jets – Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB – Ohio State 7. New England Patriots – Keith Rivers, LB – USC 8. Baltimore Ravens – Matt Ryan, QB – Boston College 9. Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis, DT – USC 10. New Orleans … Continue reading →

All throughout the draft process, Matt Ryan has been linked to the Ravens. However, since many expect Ryan to be gone by the time the Ravens pick, other names have been tossed around as potential targets.     Mock drafts throughout the country have projected the Ravens to take anything from a quarterback, cornerback, defensive end, offensive tackle or even an outside linebacker.   While quarterback may be the team’s most pressing need, the lack of depth at cornerback is just as glaring.  Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle are not getting any younger and their … Continue reading →

Adrian Arrington, wide receiver – Michigan (Sixth round)   Arrington would have been better suited to go back for his senior year at Michigan but decided to go pro rather than be a part of Rich Rodriguez’s spread option offense.  Overshadowed by teammate Mario Manningham, Arrington has some physical tools of his own.  He has good size (6-foot-3, 205) and leaping ability but lacks the speed to get down the field and really needs to work on his route running.  Arrington improved catching the ball as a junior but his … Continue reading →

With the retirement of Steve McNair, the Ravens need for a quarterback appears to have been increased but realistically, McNair’s retirement doesn’t change the team’s draft plans at all. Regardless of whether McNair retired or not, the Ravens were expected to take a quarterback in either the first or second round.  Most of the talk has centered around Boston College’s Matt Ryan although Delaware’s Joe Flacco, Louisville’s Brian Brohm and Michigan’s Chad Henne are all in the discussion. Ryan is hands down the top quarterback in the class.  He lacks … Continue reading →

Whether it has been Adalius Thomas, Jermaine Lewis, Tony Pashos or even Chester Taylor, the Ravens have always shown an uncanny ability to come away with legitimate talent in the last few rounds of the draft. With several glaring needs, the latter rounds of the draft have become as important as ever for Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta. The Ravens forfeited their fifth round pick when they selected offensive tackle Jared Gaither in the fifth round of the supplemental draft last year but have four picks in the final two … Continue reading →

With each passing day, it is seeming more and more likely that Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan will indeed slip to the Ravens, when they are on the clock with the eighth pick.     Ryan has long been rumored to the Falcons, who are in desperate need of quarterback after the Michael Vick situation, but they seem to be leaning towards taking a defensive tackle and waiting until the second round to nab either Brian Brohm, Joe Flacco or Chad Henne.    If Ryan gets past the Falcons, the only … Continue reading →

The most likely course of action for the Ravens in the 2008 NFL Draft when considering need and the general consensus among draft forecasters is for Ozzie & Co. to select a cornerback in the first round and a quarterback in the second round.   We’ve taken a look at several of the prospects that will be of interest when the Ravens pick in each of those two rounds and as of right now I see Leodis McKelvin being taken with the first round pick and one of three quarterbacks (either Brian … Continue reading →

With Matt Ryan, Sedrick Ellis and Vernon Gholston likely to go before the Ravens pick, I see the Ravens settling for one of the draft’s top three cornerbacks, either Leodis McKelvin, Aqib Talib or Mike Jenkins, with McKelvin making the most sense.   Selecting a cornerback in the first round would address the Ravens biggest need, however there are still several players in the second round that would fill needs as well.   Brian Brohm, Louisville – quarterback (6-foot-2, 230, 4.83) – It would be surprising to see him fall … Continue reading →

Draft day is getting closer and coming off their worst season of the decade, the Ravens have several glaring needs that must be addressed in order to get back into playoff contention.   Picking a quarterback in the first round seems to be the popular choice across the country. However I don’t see the Ravens reaching on either Brian Brohm or Joe Flacco so unless Matt Ryan slips, don’t expect the quarterback position to be addressed until later in the draft.   With Ryan likely going number three overall to … Continue reading →

On the heals a 13-3 record, the Ravens entered 2007 with lofty expectations and Super Bowl aspirations. However, injuries marred a season that was once filled with promise. With each starter bitten by the injury bug, whether it was Trevor Pryce, Chris McAlister or Samari Rolle, the lack of depth at key positions became more and more evident.   The performance of a once dominant Ravens defense fell off during the second half of the season and was actually among the league’s worst in several major categories. Once Pryce fell … Continue reading →