Earlier this week the Baltimore Ravens held their annual local prospects day. The event allows the Ravens to evaluate prospects that grew up or went to school in the area. The team evaluates players by putting them through basic workouts and positional drills. Last year, the Ravens ended up drafting Michael Campanaro due, in part, to his standout performance at the local prospect day. You know the saying: think globally, draft locally (or something like that).
Most of the players who worked out for Baltimore this year are considered late round prospects or priority free agents. That list of players is filled with former Maryland Terrapins including Deon Long, Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil, Darius Kilgo, and Matt Robinson. Other late round prospects who worked out for the Ravens are Adrian Coxson (Stony Brook, City), Tye Smith (Towson), and Khari Lee (Bowie State).
However, there are a handful of players who will likely be drafted somewhere in the middle rounds. Those players include Stefon Diggs (Maryland), Donovan Smith (Penn State, Owings Mills), Adrian Amos (Penn State, Calvert Hall), and Ryan Delaire (Towson). Let’s look at some of these local players who the Ravens may draft or possibly try to sign as undrafted free agents.
Stefon Diggs, WR, 6’0”, 195 lbs.
![1008diggs[1]](https://www.russellstreetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/1008diggs1.jpg)
Photo Credit: Washington Post
Diggs is a tremendous talent. He is the type of player who can go the distance any time he gets the ball in his hands. Diggs has great hands and is capable of making catches in traffic. He also could play a role in the return game. Punt or kickoff returns would be an easy way to get Diggs the ball in space where he can do serious damage. The biggest knock on Diggs is that he had trouble with injuries throughout his stay at Maryland.
Adrian Amos, FS, 6’0”, 218 lbs.
![02-emu-adrian-amos[1]](https://www.russellstreetreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/02-emu-adrian-amos1.jpg)
Photo credit: The Penn Stater
Amos has seen his stock steadily rise during the draft process. He is such an intriguing prospect because he was a safety at Penn State, but also showed the ability to play cornerback in the nickel and dime package. This versatility makes Amos a desirable player. Last year, the Ravens prioritized drafting intelligent players. If they go with that strategy again, the former Nittany Lion would fit nicely. Amos is a smart player who takes good angles and has a strong understanding of zone coverage.
Ryan Delaire, OLB, 6’4”, 254 lbs.
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Ravens have made it clear that they will be looking for a pass rusher in the upcoming draft. Delaire could be an option if the Ravens choose to address the position in the later rounds of the draft. He has excellent speed for a player his size and gets a great initial jump off of the line of scrimmage. Delaire also shows good bend around the edge and uses leverage to his advantage on a consistent basis.
