Analyzing Each Pick in the Team’s Six-Man Class
The Ravens chose six players in the 2023 NFL Draft, their smallest class since 2009, and General Manager Eric DeCosta was satisfied with the results. Apart from having the fewest picks in the past 13 years, the Ravens also received no compensatory picks.
Just when it appeared that the Ravens would use only their first five selections, they traded back into the seventh round, parting ways with a reported sixth-round pick in next year’s draft, to choose another offensive lineman.
Baltimore entered the 2023 NFL Draft with the 22nd pick in the first round, the 86th in third, the 124th pick in the fourth round, the 157th pick in the fifth round, and the 199th selection in round 6. Finally, the Ravens traded a 2024 pick to the Cleveland Browns for the 229th selection in the seventh round of the 2023 draft.
On first glance, it appears that the Ravens did a good job with their limited resources. Analysts have mostly complimented Baltimore’s draft class, which included No. 22 overall pick Zay Flowers, a wide-receiver out of Boston College. However, even though their selections were praised, their chances of a title run are still unfavorable. For instance, odds comparison site casasdeapuestas.bet places them outside the NFL’s top 5 contenders.
First round
The Ravens picked Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers with the 22nd overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Flowers, at 5’9″, is a smallish receiver, but he is a dynamic athlete. At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash. Flowers recorded 12 receiving touchdowns in 2022, ranking fifth among FBS schools. He has exceptional route running, run after catch ability, and big-play potential.
The selection addresses what many consider to be the team’s most pressing need at receiver. Lamar Jackson, who has just re-signed, now has another option in the passing game. The Ravens have already signed Odell Beckham Jr. and anticipate Rashod Bateman to return healthy.
Third round
Trenton Simpson of Clemson was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the No. 86 overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, making it an intriguing selection. Simpson led the Tigers with 72 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2022. He’s a quick hybrid linebacker who can get to the ball quickly.
Simpson, a freakishly agile and adaptable linebacker who can run and hit in Mike Macdonald’s system, is anticipated to be a standout on the special teams. He is also absolutely unparalleled in terms of speed and acceleration, as seen by his amazing 4.43 forty-yard dash time at the combine.
Fourth round
The Ravens added a rusher with significant potential when they selected edge Tavius Robinson in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Robinson is a long, Canadian edge rusher who is 6 feet 6 inches tall and played for Ole Miss. Last year, he recorded 7.0 sacks and forced five fumbles, which was an FBS record (tied).
Chuck Smith has been appointed as the Ravens’ new outside linebackers coach, and he now has a fresh crop of tool-rich pass rushers to develop. Robinson might yet add additional muscle to his 257-pound body because Baltimore prefers large edge rushers. He was listed by the organization as a linebacker, but it’s unclear what position he’ll play in the NFL.
Fifth round
With the 157th overall choice in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Ravens picked Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly. Brian Kelly, his father, was a seasoned NFL starter. At 6-foot and 191 pounds, Kelly has a nice size for a corner. With six pass breakups in 10 starts in 2022, he has a propensity for finding the ball.
Kelly was a four-year starter at Stanford who had a tremendous junior season and showed at the Senior Bowl that he is a sticky, tough, and adaptable man-to-man corner, earning him the title of practice player of the week during last week’s OTA’s.
Sixth round
With the 199th overall choice in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Ravens picked Oregon offensive tackle Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu. The Ravens hope to develop Aumavae-Laulu, a large, strong tackle into a valuable offensive lineman.
Aumavae-Laulu is a strong blocker who has mostly played at right tackle, but the Ravens value his versatility in being able to go inside to guard. He will be yet another promising offensive lineman in Baltimore’s pipeline.
Seventh round
With the 229th overall choice in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Ravens slid back into the seventh round and picked USC guard Andrew Vorhees.
Vorhees (6-foot-6, 310 pounds), a bulldozing guard who was an AP All-American last season, was ranked among the top 100 players in 2023 by some experts. Vorhees suffered an ACL tear at the Combine but continued to perform 38 bench press repetitions. He won’t play a single game in 2023, but he projects as a future starter.
