Over the course of six weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, six writers will give us their favorite/least favorite pick for the Ravens with the sixth overall selection. Following the blockbuster trade between the Rams and the Titans we have now eliminated three players – FSU DB Jalen Ramsey and quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Jared Goff – from consideration.
Here is what we have so far:
Mike Fast: Favorite – Vernon Hargreaves; Least Favorite – Joey Bosa
Kyle Casey: Favorite – Vernon Hargreaves; Least Favorite – Ronnie Stanley
Ryan Jones: Favorite – DeForest Buckner; Least Favorite – Ronnie Stanley
Tony Lombardi: Favorite – Myles Jack; Least Favorite – Vernon Hargreaves
Dev Panchwagh: Favorite – Myles Jack; Least Favorite – Joey Bosa
Today is part 6, and Tyler Lombardi is up.
Favorite – Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
Offensive linemen are boring for fans. They even bore players. But if Laremy Tunsil is still available at the sixth overall pick, he’s the the best chance for the Ravens to improve their starting roster.
Eugene Monroe’s time in Baltimore since signing his contract has been a nightmare. His injuries have severely limited him. In his absence, Pro Football Focus’ lowest-rated tackle, James Hurst, had to see significant playing time.
If the Ravens pick Tunsil, they wouldn’t have to worry about that. Right away, he can be a starter. His upside is even higher. The Ravens could even let go of Monroe’s salary and gain $6.5M if they think Tunsil is ready.
[RELATED: Laremy Tunsil Would Be a Gold Mine]
Fans will want a prospect who can be a gamebreaker. They’ll want a guy who can completely change the game on one play. But that’s the kind of thinking that leads to perennial bottom-feeders, like the Jaguars and the Browns, drafting players like Justin Blackmon, Blaine Gabbert, Barkevious Mingo, Johnny Manziel, Trent Richardson, and even Brandon Weeden. They wanted players who can change a game with one play. They ended up with complete busts.
You don’t get to be a successful team with one selection. You don’t become a good team by forcing picks at positions of need. You get there by taking the player you think is the best with every pick. Laremy Tunsil is exactly that. He’s one of the top two players in this draft. He’ll serve the Ravens best both now and in the future.
If he’s available, he should be the pick.
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Least Favorite – Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio St.
Excluding Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, Ezekiel Elliott, and Tunsil, all of the other potential Ravens’ picks concern me, so this was a hard decision to make. I decided to go with the player whose upside I just don’t see.
That player is Joey Bosa.
In his evaluation of Bosa, former Bucs defensive end Stephen White called Bosa “a machine.” You might think that means that he’s relentless. It does.
But it also means that he’s stiff in the hips, like a robot. He lacks the bend necessary to become an explosive edge rusher.
In a league where defenders need to stop the pass first, Bosa isn’t a great prospect. He has good hand technique, but you can only do so much with your hands if offensive linemen don’t respect your ability to gain the edge.
[RELATED: Has Bosa’s Ceiling Already Been Reached?]
Bosa will probably be a solid player right out of the gate. He understands his position about as well as anyone in this draft, which leaves very little room for improvement. Other players in this class have the potential to become what Bosa is right now. Some of those players, however, have room for improvement because of their athleticism.
If this were any other year, I would doubt an edge rusher of Bosa’s caliber would even sniff the top 10. This is a weak class, and players like Bosa have been propped up. They force Bosa up the board because a good pass rusher is vital to an effective pass defense, but Bosa doesn’t provide enough in that department to warrant a selection this high.
Of all of the players the Ravens could pick, Bosa would get the biggest sigh from me on draft day.
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