OWINGS MILLS — Growing up, C.J. Mosley was a fan of the Baltimore Ravens because of Ray Lewis.
On Thursday, he became the first inside linebacker the Ravens have selected in the first round since Lewis in 1996.
Baltimore considered trading back from No. 17 but ultimately decided to stay put and take Mosley, a first-team All-American at Alabama the last two seasons.
“I know we got better as a football team because of the way C.J. plays, but I really know that we got better as an organization because of the person that he is,” Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said, later adding, “We’re just excited to have him.”
As an organization, Baltimore prides itself on taking the best player available in the draft.
Assistant general manager Eric DeCosta said Mosley was the best available player left on the Ravens’ board and would have been as early as the No. 10 pick.
Mosley said his agent told him that Baltimore would have decided between him and Notre Dame offensive lineman Zack Martin, but Martin was selected by the Dallas Cowboys at No. 16.
“I know I talked to the Ravens multiple times. I talked to Mr. Ozzie Newsome, and he told me that if I was still there that I would have a high chance of going there,” Mosley said. “So I was pretty much waiting it out. And once I realized there was a good chance of being that pick, I was just living in the moment really, just happy.”
Baltimore already had veteran Daryl Smith and 2013 second-round pick Arthur Brown at inside linebacker, but Mosley will compete with Brown for playing time next to Smith in the short-term.
In the long-term, the Ravens hope Mosley and Brown can become a formidable tandem.
The 6-foot-2, 234-pound Mosley won the Butkus Award last year, which is given annually to the top linebacker in the country.
“He’s a fast, instinctive, tough, smart, productive playmaker,” DeCosta said.
He was also a two-time team captain.
