With the third pick in the 2009 NFL Draft the Baltimore Ravens selected cornerback Lardarius Webb out of Nicholls State. The pick was a surprise – not because the Ravens didn’t need a corner and not because Webb wasn’t worthy of the 88th overall pick.
It had more to do with his experiences and limited exposure to high-end competition coming from a small school. You see back in 2006 the Ravens selected cornerback David Pittman out of Northwestern State, coincidentally with the 87th overall pick.
Despite his physical gifts Pittman was a failure and the Ravens vowed not to take a small school corner again so high in the draft.
Webb they said, was different because he had two seasons facing Division I competition at Southern Miss before transferring to Nicholls St. Besides, the team believed upon further review that Pittman’s failures went deeper than the field of play.
How so?
Press play and find out…
