Tight end is regarded by many observers to be an area of need for the Ravens. Some have projected that Oklahoma’s Jermaine Gresham will be the Ozzie Newsome’s first round target on April 22nd with the No. 25 overall pick.
However, given the recent additions of Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth to the Ravens passing attack along with the re-signing of Derrick Mason many believe the Ravens will look to add to their defense over tight end, particularly with the level of depth at the rugged receiving position. It may be that the team looks for Todd Heap reinforcements on Day 2 of the draft.
One player that might attract the team’s attention hails from a school that the Ravens are known to play close attention to – the one with a multitude of uniforms.
Ed Dickson, TE – Oregon, Senior, 6′4″ 240 lbs
Pros – Physical pass catching TE. Has great hands. Dickson runs smooth routes for a TE. Gets a solid burst off of the line making him difficult to jam. Quick for a TE which makes him a mismatch for most LBs.
Cons – While he’s a decent blocker, it’s not his strong point either. There will be times where he blows his blocking assignments and allows a defender to run right past him to get the tackle.
Final Thoughts – Dickson is going to make a team very happy as a pass catching TE. He is one of the best in the country at it. He runs the cleanest routes of the TEs not named Gresham. Dickson also adds a physical nature to the game where he grinds out yards. If he can put his blocking game together, he can become a complete TE.
NFL Comparison – Dallas Clark – Indianapolis Colts
Draft Projection – 2nd round
Tight End Rankings
(*denotes underclassman)
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Name |
School |
Height |
Weight |
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1. |
Jermaine Gresham |
Oklahoma |
6’6" |
258 lbs |
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2. |
Rob Gronkowski* |
Arizona |
6’4" |
245 lbs |
|
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3. |
Aaron Hernandez* |
Florida |
6’2" |
252 lbs |
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4. |
Anthony McCoy |
USC |
6’5" |
250 lbs |
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5. |
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6. |
Dennis Pitta |
BYU |
6’5" |
247 lbs |
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7. |
Jimmy Graham |
Miami |
6’6" |
259 lbs |
|
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8. |
Dorin Dickerson |
Pittsburgh |
6’2" |
230 lbs |
|
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9. |
Garrett Graham |
Wisconsin |
6’3" |
250 lbs |
|
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10. |
Tony Moeaki |
Iowa |
6’4" |
250 lbs |
|
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11. |
Michael Hoomanawanui |
Illinois |
6’5" |
270 lbs |
|
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12. |
Andrew Quarless |
Penn State |
6’5" |
248 lbs |
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13. |
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14. |
Jeron Mastrud |
Kansas State |
6’6" |
253 lbs |
|
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15. |
Clay Harbor |
Missouri State |
6’2 1/4" |
250 lbs |
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16. |
Nate Byham |
Pittsburgh |
6’4" |
265 lbs |
|
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17. |
Riar Geer |
Colorado |
6’2 1/2" |
252 lbs |
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18. |
Jeff Cumberland |
Illinois |
6’5" |
255 lbs |
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19. |
Cody Slate |
Marshall |
6’4" |
229 lbs |
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20. |
Richard Dickson |
LSU |
6’3" |
240 lbs |
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21. |
Mickey Shuler |
Penn State |
6’4" |
247 lbs |
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22. |
Dedrick Epps |
Miami |
6’4" |
253 lbs |
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Will Spencer, the founder and lead content writer for Draft Breakdown has been scouting draft prospects since 2002. From Baltimore, he’s had draft related articles published on the Baltimore Ravens official website, Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report as well as Ravens Insider. Will is also a member of the Football Writers Association of America. Will graduated from the Sports Management Worldwide Scouting and General Manager class in 2009. Click here to see links to articles written by Will and hear audio of Will on various radio programs and podcasts.
