So, the 2018 NFL Draft is in the books and many so-called draft analysts have already assessed how the Ravens have done. The grades are now in for each of the 32 front offices across the league. As if those front offices really care.
The Ravens grades seem to range from A’s to B’s and all points in between and they’re all quite laughable. The grades are akin to students assessing a Math PHD’s ability to effectively implement algorithms in behavioral sciences.
In other words, the analysts just aren’t qualified enough.
But that aside, isn’t it far too early to grade? Analysts aren’t privy to a team’s draft objectives, the changes they wish to implement, the method for the implementation and the personnel needed to make it happen. They don’t know if a player has peaked; if he’s a late bloomer; if he can adequately adapt to the speed of the game and adjust to the cerebral challenges of playing in the NFL.
That will be proven over time and until a sufficient amount of time has passed, none of us really knows for sure about a prospect – including the front offices that draft these players. Otherwise, Tom Brady and Antonio Brown would have never lasted until the 6th round in their respective draft classes.
With all this in mind, I decided to take a quick look at the Ravens grades from the 2015 draft class. Three seasons seems to be an appropriate amount of time to assess, right? My search landed on grades from CBS’ Pete Prisco and ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr. The grades reveal some interesting, albeit highly inaccurate conclusions just a day following that 2015 draft..
Pete Prisco: A
According to Prisco the Ravens Best Pick was Carl Davis: “Getting defensive tackle Carl Davis in the third round is vintage Ravens. This is a kid some had pegged in the first round. He will be a perfect 3-4 end in their scheme.”
Prisco added: “I love first-round receiver Breshad Perriman in their offense.”
Mel Kiper, Jr.: A-
“The Ravens needed new weapons in the passing game at both wide receiver and tight end, and they got them. Breshad Perriman could have been off the board by No. 14, and I wouldn’t have blinked. To get a big (218 pounds), fast (sub-4.3 speed) big-play threat such as this at No. 26 is a great get. You bet Perriman needs to be more consistent with his hands, but there’s some Dez Bryant to his game. Maxx Williams was a player the Ravens coveted, and to get him at No. 55 overall was good value. Both he and Perriman could be impact players from the rookie class, which is rare on a good team.”
The point is, grades, a day or three removed from any draft’s conclusion, are rather worthless. That said, there’s no harm in knee-jerk reactions to the draft. Here are a few of mine:
Favorite Pick: Orlando Brown, Jr., T
This pick has nothing to do with sentimentality. It has everything to do with value. Brown was projected as a first-round pick and pegged to the Ravens at 16 just a couple of months ago. They got him with the 83rd pick. He needs work but could be a Day 1 starter and that allows James Hurst to be a valuable swing player with experience in the event of injury. I have confidence that Greg Roman and Joe D’Alessandris will coach up Brown in a way that enables him to realize his full potential.
Least Favorite Pick: Lamar Jackson, QB
Jackson has off-the-chart athleticism. He’s electric. I get that Roman and OC Marty Mornhinweg have experience with his style of quarterback play, given time spent with Messrs. Vick, Taylor and Kaepernick. But such a style invites injury and the effectiveness of such RPO signal callers never seems to stand the test of time. Hiring RG III was probably a clue to us all that the interest in Jackson was legit, but the former Redskins quarterback is yet another example of the limited shelf-life and uncertain long-term effectiveness of this style of QB play.
Pick I Wish The Ravens Made: DJ Moore, WR
The Ravens have certainly upgraded their WR corps by adding Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead. Perhaps they thought adding Moore at No. 22 (before they traded back again to 25) was overkill, particularly given the lack of talent in the Tight End room. But Brown’s is a 1-year deal and Snead’s is a 2-year contract. Adding Moore, a player with the combative passion of Steve Smith, Sr., would have been a better way to go, especially in hindsight after they selected TE Mark Andrews in the third round – a player who could be just as effective as Hayden Hurst.
Fun Pick: Zach Sieler, DE
I have to admit, I never even heard of Ferris State before the Ravens turned in the card for Sieler. But the 6’6″, 290-pound former walk-on completely dominated his Division II opponents, fighting through double and triple teams to lead the Bulldogs with 21 tackles for loss and 7 sacks in 2017. Sieler twice received the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Defensive Lineman of the Year honor along with being chosen in both 2016 and 2017 as the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Super Region Defensive Player of the Year. Interesting footnote on Sieler…Ferris State’s top rival is Grand Valley State where the Ravens discovered Matt Judon.
The WTF Pick: Greg Sinat, T
Senat played basketball for four years at the collegiate level, was a tight end for two years in high school and an offensive tackle for two years as a Wagner Seahawk. But these small-school offensive line projects never seem to produce results for the Ravens. Cases in point: Jermaine Eluemunor; Ramon Harewood; Gino Gradkowski; David Hale. Enough already!
I thought a flyer on a change-of-pace RB who could break off an occasional long run and positively affect the passing game without being asked to carry a heavy load, would have been more appropriate – a player like Akrum Wadley.
Most Intriguing Pick: Anthony Averett, CB
Naturally people think that this pick owes something to Ozzie Newsome‘s affinity for the University of Alabama. But Averett, a player with very good instincts, speed and athleticism, has the look of a very good pro, albeit slightly undersized at 5’11”. He could be a starter in 2019 opposite Crimson Tide teammate Marlon Humphrey. Oft-injured Jimmy Smith‘s cap figure in 2019 is $16.175M. Cutting him loose would save the Ravens $9.5M in cap space. If Averett develops and Tavon Young builds on the promise of his rookie season, 2018 is likely to be Smith’s last in Baltimore unless he takes a pay cut. The addition of Averett gives the Ravens leverage in such contract discussions.
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