Before the recent trades that have catapulted the Rams and Browns to the top of next week’s draft, Laremy Tunsil was widely seen as the likely top pick. With Marcus Mariota already in place, bringing in the consensus top tackle made sense.
How quickly things change.
With quarterbacks all but guaranteed to go one and two, there’s a good chance Tunsil slides down the board and falls into the Ravens’ lap.
At this point we’re all tired of mock drafts. With the real draft just a week away, every NFL fan has had their fill of fake ones. One recent mock draft, however, stands out from the rest.
In Todd McShay’s fifth, and likely final mock, the Ravens take Ronnie Stanley with Tunsil still on the board. McShay’s logic is teams are beginning to question Tunsil’s reliability. While he is likely the most NFL ready tackle, concerns stem from his injury history and NCAA violations that caused him to be suspended for seven games during his final season.
Tunsil never played a full season in his three years at Ole Miss. He missed games throughout his career with injuries ranging from bicep strains to a broken leg at the end of 2014. Most pundits believe if Tunsil is still on the board when the Ravens are on the clock, selecting him would be a no-brainer.
But if the Ravens have their choice between Tunsil, Myles Jack and DeForest Buckner is there a chance they might pass on the draft’s supposed top prospect? If the Ravens drafted him, the long-term plan would be for him to replace Eugene Monroe.
But the biggest concern with Tunsil is the same source of the Ravens frustrations with Monroe-he’s been somewhat unreliable.
Tunsil’s suspension has largely flown under the radar when discussing his draft stock. The violations included using a loaner vehicle for six months without any payment, some free lodging and a plane ticket purchased by a teammate’s friend.
The violations themselves aren’t too concerning. What may be giving teams pause, though, is the fact that Tunsil initially wasn’t truthful when questioned by the NCAA.
The Ravens have placed a priority in recent years on bringing in high character players in both the draft and free agency. It’s no coincidence that they’ve spent high draft picks on guys like C.J. Mosley and aggressively pursued free agents like Ben Watson and Eric Weddle.
People make mistakes and maybe Tunsil has learned from his. But if you look at the total picture, his injury and suspension history, there is some cause for concern.
Tunsil’s purpose would be to replace a tackle who has been unreliable since signing a new contract. Could you blame the Ravens if they were hesitant to bring in a player who has missed significant playing time?
When it’s their turn next Thursday, the Ravens will have a choice between several elite prospects. That player needs to be a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come.
Ronnie Stanley probably isn’t that guy, but Laremy Tunsil might not be either. If Tunsil’s reliability raises any red flags in the Ravens’ War Room, they could pass on him for a more reliable defender.
