No matter how often the Ravens get criticized for a best-player-available approach in the draft, it’s worth noting that they have recently used the majority of their Day 1 and 2 picks to address their primary needs. With just five picks at their disposal, Baltimore’s front office will likely go down a similar route with their first few picks.
But once Day 3 rolls around, all bets are off. Sure, the Ravens could take a chance on a late-round WR and/or CB, but they’re just as likely to stock up at quarterback, linebacker, safety or running back to build depth and address future needs. And even though Greg Roman is gone, would anyone really be that surprised at a late-round tight end?
Quarterback
After earning less than $2 million in his first three NFL seasons, Tyler Huntley is set to be paid $2.6 million in 2023 – a solid price for a backup quarterback, but one that will increase with each additional season of experience. Paying a backup that kind of money won’t be easy to accommodate with a massive Lamar Jackson extension taking up a large chunk of the team’s cap space.
But drafting a quarterback on Day 1 or 2 as Jackson’s likely successor could leave the Ravens in a tough spot. It could (further?) alienate their mercurial QB1, lowering the already-slim chances of getting an extension done before the season starts. And if Baltimore can keep Jackson around in the long-term, they’ll have wasted a premium pick on a player who ideally never sees the field.
That’s why a Day 3 quarterback feels like a strong possibility for the Ravens, allowing them to lock down a cost-controlled backup QB for four years who they can try to develop into a playable starter if Jackson leaves in the next few years.
Nikhil Mehta – Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Stetson Bennett will be the popular pick here given his past with Todd Monken, but I’d much prefer Thompson-Robinson in Baltimore. He’s a dual threat with a laser arm and the ability to gain yards as a runner can rip throws on the move and gain yards on the ground, making him a tailor-made backup to Jackson. I love how DTR’s intangibles that are described by scouts – toughness, hardworking attitude, confidence – show up on the field. He can be seen lead-blocking for Zach Charbonnet, extending plays with his legs and ripping throws into tight windows on his film, which improved every season. There’s plenty of stuff to clean up in his game – especially his ball security – but he has everything I’m looking for in a late-round QB.
Adam Bonaccorsi – Stetson Bennett IV, Georgia
Mail it in pick here. There’s the Bennett & Monken connections obviously, plus the fact that Bennett showed us he’s a baller during his stretch in Georgia. There’s off-field concerns and rumblings but I trust that Monken has enough insight that if the Ravens took him here, they’re comfortable with all that jazz.
Could just be another McSorley… but that’s the risk you run in Day 3 of the draft at any position.
Kevin McNelis – Jaren Hall, BYU
We’ll see a lot of Stetson Bennett projections here, but I like the idea of buying low on Jaren Hall. His natural athleticism and ability to tuck and run make him a good fit for the current Ravens system, and at worst he appears to be a viable backup for the possibility that Huntley moves on in the near future.
Jared Pinder – Dorian Thompson-Robinson,UCLA
Stetson Bennett will be the popular pick, but DTR fits the Ravens. He is almost a spitting image of Huntley coming out of college. He is an athletic freak of nature with a great arm; the problem is that he needs more accuracy and nuance in his game. This is the shot you take late in the Draft, the athletic freak, not the old game manager. DTR would be a great pickup late or in the UDFA process.
Zachary Siegel – Stetson Bennett IV, Georgia
Coming off of back to back national championships and a Heisman finalist appearance, it is amazing that he is this low in the rankings. Being 25 years old and not a traditional style NFL quarterback, he raises some questions as to how well he will do at the next level. That all being said, the Ravens are in a unique position, since they hired Monken, where Bennett would already be very familiar with this style of offense, a system in which he’s already been quite successful.
Chris Schisler – Stetson Bennett IV, Georgia
The quarterback situation in this draft class is bleak after the top four. We’ve already gone over the draftable talent at this position, more or less. I’m not a big believer in Bennett, but he does have some of the intangibles. Is he better than Clayton Tune? That’s a push. Bennett gets the nod in the back end of the draft because he worked well with Monken at Georgia.
Wildcard
There are several solid running backs to be had on Day 3, but the depth at linebacker, safety and tight end will be whittled down to run-stoppers, blockers and special teams contributors in Rounds 4 through 7.
The Ravens are always interested in those three things, though, and adding to a backfield that barely exists past the 2023 season isn’t a bad idea, either.
Nikhil Mehta – Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
Pappoe is a fast and agile linebacker who’s undersized but still hits like a ton of bricks. His smaller frame makes it hard for him to deconstruct blocks once engaged, but he flashes the ability to duck around them. That skill will become more apparent as he becomes more adept at diagnosing and reacting to plays, allowing him to beat blockers to the point of attack. I like Pappoe as a fit for Baltimore as an athletic special teams ace who can hang with running backs in coverage. He’s a solid Day 3 addition to the linebacker corps and special teams unit.
That’s a solid Day 3 pick that could look even better if he develops his vision and feel in the middle of the defense.
Adam Bonaccorsi – Eric Gray, RB, Oklahoma
If the Ravens want to add to the RB room, they could do a lot worse than Eric Gray on Day 3. Kid knows how to find space, hits the hole, and brings some pass catching ability with his game. Needs to work on pass pro and playing through contact some more, but worth a Day 3 flier with the entire RB Room empty come 2024.
Kevin McNelis – DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas
This one may seem like it’s out of left field, but I’ve loved Overshown’s game for years. His physicality has rocketed him up big boards everywhere because of his speed, and in the right defensive setting (like next to Roquan Smith) he could become a deadly pass-rusher with huge upside.
Zachary Siegel – Mohamed Ibrahim, RB, Minnesota
The reason that Ibrahim is not a Day 1 prospect is the fact that he is going to be 25 years old by the time next season starts, combined with his extensive injury history. With two of his five seasons being cut short, he still put up three 1,000-yard seasons with his most recent season being his best. Ibrahim has shown nothing but resilience in his career, and the Ravens’ could absolutely use his presence in the locker room.
Jared Pinder – Chris Rodriguez Jr., RB, Kentucky
While his RAS and athletic testing could have been better, Chris Rodriguez is a solid running back that fits the Ravens. Last year the Ravens tried their hands at developing a smaller speedy back in Tyler Badie. That didn’t match what the Ravens wanted, so they should go in the opposite direction this year. Rodriguez is a bruiser that is underrated because of the mess that was the Kentucky Offense. He is hard to bring down and feels like another Gus Edwards. This would be a solid pick for the Ravens in the late rounds or as an UDFA.
Chris Schisler – Zach Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
Kuntz is big, quick, and did I mention big? You can’t find targets bigger than this tight end from Old Dominion. He has traits. That’s undeniable. Here’s a player who has all the things you can’t coach. Is he raw? Sure. Is he going to start out trying to scrape his way on the roster? Yes. If you’re patient with him and you coach him up, those traits could shine. I’ll take a flyer on the guy.
