OTL: Drinking the Kool-Aid

We are less than two weeks from the start of the 2024 NFL Draft, which means it was a slow news week for the NFL. While we got stuff like the annual Liar’s luncheon from EDC and some other lower-tier signings, it was quiet on the news aside from some rumors here and there.

While the Ravens signed a new returner this week, they lost another member of the 2023 team – thankfully this time a lower-tier loss than some other recent departures.

The #49ers have signed veteran CB Rock Ya-Sin to a 1-year deal.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 11, 2024

Rock Ya-Sin seemed to be a nice signing at first, as a former second-round pick with athleticism that could be a second CB. It was also a low-risk/high-reward type of deal. Ya-Sin was passed by guys like Ronald Darby and Arthur Maulet in the pecking order though.

Another Ravens FA heads elsewhere. Ya-Sin got hurt early in training camp last year and never really found his footing with Ravens. https://t.co/75ty2WFKfi

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) April 11, 2024

As Jeff mentions, he did get hurt early, but there had to be something else, right? This might be a tin foil hat take, but he was a healthy scratch for like three or four weeks even though he seemed healthy enough to play. That was a time when they needed more corners, yet they chose to make him unavailable. I don’t know; it seemed like something fishy was going on to me.

I also heard some rumors online that he didn’t get along with the coaching staff, but I can’t confirm that.

Whatever the case, it didn’t work out for the player or the team, and Ya-Sin joins a long list of former 2023 Ravens.

With that out of the way I wanted to do another BPA Mock Draft Friday, but with a twist. This is not based on other people’s boards but is instead based on my board. We tried this once before in attempting to think like EDC, so today, we do it my way.

So here it is:

There has been a ton of discussion around the fit of Kool-Aid McKinstry these last few days. Mel Kiper had him going to the Ravens in his mock and the fit does make sense. There’s the Alabama connection of course, and it would be fitting for him to become the first high-round CB pick the team has made since fellow Tide Marlon Humphrey.

Much has been made about Kool-Aid’s lack of athleticism, but honestly, he has enough to survive in the NFL.

I think Kool-Aid McKinstry is athletic enough pic.twitter.com/GsLda5Kv2E

— Theo Ash (@TheoAshNFL) March 23, 2024

I have also seen opinions that this pick doesn’t make sense from the Ravens’ standpoint, and it would be a luxury pick while ignoring other needs.

To this, I say “huh?”

Some fans don’t see how thin the CB room could get this year. If Marlo goes down again, you will be starting Brandon Stephens and some other depth off the street. Yes, I know they made it work last year, and while another veteran like Stephon Gilmore or Xavien Howard could be Ravens after the Draft, they certainly aren’t here right now.

This move would move Marlo into the slot, but that is where he does a lot of his best work anyway, and Zach Orr would rotate his corners around.

Let’s also mention that Stephens is a free agent after next year, so yes, corner is as big of a need as WR or OT. And I’m a fan who has been pounding the table loudly for an upside OT in Round 1 for a month. No one should complain if Kool-Aid is the pick because he would help complete the defense.

A.D. Mitchell being available in round two almost made me redo this Mock Draft. It would be such a classic Ravens Draft night story if he did fall to them, which probably won’t happen in real life. Mitchell adds another explosive weapon for Lamar, making the WR corps the most explosive it has been in the Lamar era. Kiran is a solid developmental tackle in the third round. This is honestly the biggest flaw of this Mock Draft: I didn’t get a day one starter at Tackle, which does worry me, but in this case, the talents beforehand were too much for me to reach on a tackle.

Mason McCormick is a straight-up mauler who has elite athleticism and upside. Jonah Ellis is officially the top “My Guy” in this class because of what he did on his pro day:

Jonah Elliss is a DE prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.58 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 256 out of 1797 DE from 1987 to 2024.

Pro day times unofficial, but if they hold would be pretty epic. All time great testinghttps://t.co/inYgbc15cU pic.twitter.com/7gEXUzTpPH

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 9, 2024

That’s some juicy athleticism. Look at that three-cone. This backs up everything I saw on tape when he was healthy, and he will be a steal if he falls beyond the second round.

The last four of this mock have one thing in common: RAS. All of them are elite athletes, and this is what I prefer to see in the later rounds: take all the great athletes you can and tell your coaches to figure it out.

This would be another great draft by EDC, and no one should complain if it is similar to what happens in real life.

We are almost there, Ravens fans. The draft is so close.