In the 2014 draft, the Ravens had a chance to land a local star from Towson University. The team already filled defensive needs in their first two picks with C.J. Mosley and Timmy Jernigan. The league had yet to hand down a punishment for Ray Rice, leaving his immediate future murky.
Baltimore had two third round picks with plenty of intriguing running backs still available. Ravens fans hoped they would use one of them on that Towson star, Terrance West.
Nope. The Ravens went with their third defensive selection in a row, drafting safety Terrence Brooks.
But another 3rd round pick was still in their pocket at the end of the round. There was still hope.
Unfortunately, the Cleveland Browns also coveted West and saw him as their feature back. They traded up and nabbed West with the 94th pick, five spots ahead of the Ravens.
Baltimore ended up selecting Crockett Gillmore, which didn’t excite too many people.
Now, Terrance West is on the Ravens as a member of the practice squad. West hasn’t panned out quite the way that the Browns wanted. Isaiah Crowell, Robert Turbin and Duke Johnson all passed West on the depth chart before the 2015 season.
He was traded to the Titans before the season, but there wasn’t any more clarity there. Bishop Sankey, Antonio Andrews and David Cobb all have had bigger roles in the Titans’ offense this season. They ultimately waived him on Saturday.
After receiving a few practice squad offers, West chose to come back home to Baltimore. The Ravens got the man who fans had always wanted.
West will have a chance to work his way onto the active roster. If the season keeps going south, the Ravens may give him a shot to see what they have. He might just be able to spark the running game behind Justin Forsett at the end of the year.
And the guy who the Ravens picked instead of West hasn’t been so bad. Gillmore has shown good hands and productivity this season with 240 yards and 3 touchdowns. With Dennis Pitta‘s career in doubt, Gillmore appears to have a bright future at tight end with the Ravens.
Sometimes, things just work out in funny ways.
