As a part of our coverage here at Russell Street Report, we’ll be featuring the best prospects all across the board in any situation the Ravens might come across. Whether it’s a receiver in the first round, a quarterback in the sixth, or a guard in the third, we’ll cover the Ravens best options in any scenario. Barring any trades, the team will pick in the middle of each round—so we’ll see who is available when the Ravens are projected to select their upcoming stars. This will make it easy for you the fan to look at what the Ravens are seeing in future NFL prospects.
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There are many reasons I love this time of year. You’ll see rankings shift up and down as people watch more film, but in reality—no matter how many times you hear the phrase—players do not “rise up teams boards” just before the draft. Scouts know what they are getting from a prospect and a player’s stock can’t rise/fall after their Pro Day in March. Safety is a tough position to scout, but we have you covered. Ozzie Newsome says he wants a playmaking safety. Let’s take a look at the two guys in this safety class worth a first-round pick.
NOTE: Matt Elam is here to stay at SS, so the Ravens will look to bring in a FS that has a chance to pair up with Elam in 2014.
HaSean (Ha-Ha) Clinton-Dix, Alabama
A prominent part of the Crimson Tide’s stout defense, Clinton-Dix is clearly the best safety in this class. He should be gone when the Ravens pick, but an interesting scenario will play out if he falls to 16 or 17.
Nick Saban had a massive playmaker on his hands in Clinton-Dix. The safety was able to line up where he needed to and made an impact seemingly every game. “Ha-Ha” is very athletic and has a quick burst when he recognizes and sniffs out a run play, which wasn’t uncommon.
Akin to Matt Elam, Clinton-Dix is a hard hitter. The conundrum the Ravens would face is his overall skill-set. The type of player that best fills the needs of the defense is a ball-hawking playmaker, and while nabbing the next Ed Reed isn’t likely, that’s the type of player the secondary should acquire.
Clinton-Dix’s pass defense didn’t make him a first-round prospect. His hard-hitting, athletic nature did. Will the Ravens take a chance on the Alabama alum if he’s there, or will they address another need with their first pick?
Calvin Pryor, Louisville
The Ravens always need help in pass defense, and a playmaking safety might just aid in the overall production of the secondary.
Pryor might be an interesting option for the Ravens in round one. A ball of energy on the field, Pryor plays like a Raven—a trait that the team saw in Elam last season.
In pass coverage, the Louisville safety hasn’t been able to prove much, but that isn’t entirely his fault; Pryor wasn’t given many opportunities to play a deep centerfield position due to the competition he faced. His defense against the run was very impressive, but the risk here is his unproven play against elite receivers.
If the Ravens do take Pryor, they are getting a great player. A system fit though? That’s the risk the team will have to weigh.
You can read a full review of Pryor from RSR’s Kyle Casey here.
