Ravens mock draft 2.0: After 1st wave of free agency, offensive line help is a top priority

The Ravens entered last year’s NFL draft with just five picks, their fewest since 1999. They left the draft with six selections, their fewest since 2009.

This year will be different. After a busy opening week of free agency, general manager Eric DeCosta has some glaring roster holes but a bigger haul of draft picks: nine total, including five in the top 130 and at least one in all seven rounds.

“I think this year will be a good chance for us to kind of augment the roster with good, young, cheap, talented football players,” he said Thursday.

With the help of Pro Football Focus’ mock draft simulator, here’s whom the Ravens could target at each draft slot to build out their roster.

Round 1 (No. 30 overall): Duke OL Graham Barton

A Duke lineman named Graham will never be a sexy first-round pick. Never. But if the Ravens are serious about their offensive line rebuild, they’ll need Day 1 or Day 2 talent upfront, and the 6-foot-5, 313-pound Barton is among the draft’s cleanest prospects. A three-year starter at left tackle, Barton could start his career inside, where the Ravens have lost one starter (left guard John Simpson) and will likely lose the other (right guard Kevin Zeitler).

This is a draft rich with versatile linemen. Whether the Ravens stay in the first round or trade down to the second, they should be able to find an instant-impact guard with starting-tackle potential. With Ronnie Stanley entering the last year of his contract, the team’s search for its heir apparent at left tackle is underway.

Also considered: Texas WR Adonai Mitchell, Georgia WR Ladd McConkey, Arizona OL Jordan Morgan

Round 2 (No. 62 overall): South Carolina WR Xavier Legette

The Ravens have one wide receiver under contract beyond the 2024 season: Zay Flowers. This is a good year to be on the lookout for help; NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah has 12 wide receivers among his top 50 prospects. The 6-1, 221-pound Legette has just one year of standout production (71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023), but his potential is tantalizing. He’s a special athlete, with 4.39-second speed in the 40-yard dash and elite jumping ability. Far from a refined route runner, Legette could develop into a field-stretching “X” receiver in Baltimore.

Also considered: Texas DL T’Vondre Sweat, Washington WR Ja’Lynn Polk, Connecticut G Christian Haynes

Round 3 (No. 93 overall): Rutgers CB Max Melton

The Ravens have drafted five cornerbacks over the past three years, and still their depth is lacking. Brandon Stephens is entering the final year of his rookie contract, Marlon Humphrey is coming off an injury-plagued year, and Ronald Darby signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. Even if Arthur Maulet re-signs, the Ravens need more young talent in their pipeline. The 5-11, 187-pound Melton is an athletic prospect who can play in the slot or out wide. He fared well against Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr. last season, giving up just one catch on three targets overall to the Buckeyes, according to Pro Football Focus.

Also considered: Florida State RB Trey Benson, Notre Dame CB Cam Hart, Kansas State G Cooper Beebe

Round 4 (No. 113 overall, via Jets): Utah S Cole Bishop

If the Ravens want to optimize All-Pro Kyle Hamilton, they might need another starting-caliber safety. Geno Stone started 18 games over the past two seasons before signing with the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Marcus Williams missed 13 games over the same stretch; even if he’s healthy, three-safety looks give the Ravens flexibility on defense and creativity in their presnap disguises. The 6-2, 209-pound Bishop has the size to play around the line of scrimmage and the speed to defend intermediate routes. He’s better as an underneath defender than a deep-lying ball hawk, but he could wear a lot of hats in a defense like the Ravens’.

Also considered: Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen, Illinois OL Isaiah Adams, Florida State QB Jordan Travis

Round 4 (No. 130 overall): Houston EDGE Nelson Ceaser

There’s risk in waiting until Day 3 to take an edge defender, especially with the Ravens’ outside linebacker room precariously thin. The NFL’s best pass rushers are typically the most athletic, and those high-ceiling prospects fly off the board over the draft’s first two days. The 6-3, 254-pound Ceaser, unsurprisingly, is not a physical freak, relying more on his power than his burst to win on the edge. But he had 9.5 sacks last season and could develop into a pass rush specialist. Given David Ojabo’s worrisome injury history and the potential departure of free agents Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, the Ravens need reinforcements.

Also considered: Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott, LSU DL Mekhi Wingo, UCLA EDGE Grayson Murphy

Round 5 (No. 165 overall): Wisconsin OL Tanor Bortolini

The 6-4, 303-pound Bortolini is one of the draft’s most athletic linemen and also one of its most versatile. He played at least 179 snaps at four positions over the past three years, lining up at left guard, center, right guard and right tackle, according to PFF. With guard Ben Cleveland and swing tackle Patrick Mekari entering the final year of their contracts, Bortolini could eventually challenge for a starting job inside or emerge as a jack-of-all-trades piece upfront.

Also considered: Michigan TE A.J. Barner, Illinois TE Tip Reiman, Clemson RB Will Shipley

Round 6 (No. 218 overall, via Jets): Minnesota TE Brevyn Spann-Ford

Another tight end? With Spann-Ford’s potential as an in-line blocker, why not? After losing Josh Oliver in free agency last offseason, the Ravens had to rely on fullback Patrick Ricard to help with double teams and combination blocks in 2023. Mark Andrews is most effective in the slot and Isaiah Likely as a “move” tight end. Charlie Kolar lined up most often along the line of scrimmage, but his blocking ability is still developing. The 6-6, 260-pound Spann-Ford had some dominant repetitions last season and could be a solid receiving option over the middle, though his drops last season were worrisome.

Also considered: Iowa TE Erick All, RB Frank Gore Jr., TCU OL Brandon Coleman

Round 7 (No. 228 overall, via Jets): Kentucky ILB Trevin Wallace

The Ravens don’t need to find a replacement for Patrick Queen in the draft — Trenton Simpson is expected to partner with Roquan Smith next season — but inside linebackers do a lot of the team’s heavy lifting on special teams. Del’Shawn Phillips, who signed last week with the Houston Texans, led the unit in snaps in 2023. The 6-1, 237-pound Wallace has the speed (4.51-second 40) to stand out on special teams, and his defensive production improved each of the past three years.

Also considered: South Dakota State RB Isaiah Davis, Ohio State RB Miyan Williams, Holy Cross G C.J. Hanson

Round 7 (No. 250 overall): Baylor DL Gabe Hall

The Ravens are set to return their top five defensive linemen from 2023, but it never hurts to look for depth. The 6-6, 291-pound Hall played under new defensive line coach Dennis Johnson at Baylor, where he lined up over guards and tackles. Hall’s not a dynamic athlete, but he has the strength and length to contribute as a run defender.

Also considered: Maryland OL Delmar Glaze, Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman, Washington EDGE Zion Tupuola-Fetui

Jonas Shaffer

jonas.shaffer@thebaltimorebanner.com

Jonas Shaffer is a Ravens beat writer for The Baltimore Banner. He previously covered the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun. Shaffer graduated from the University of Maryland and grew up in Silver Spring.

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