Free Agency Moves
Signed:
Eric Weddle S-Finally we get an undoubtedly great safety in the backfield for us.
Mike Wallace WR-Another deep threat to put on the field just in case Breshad is tired or hurt. Personally, I'm lukewarm on the signing.
Brandon Boykin CB- Arguably the most underrated player in FA. This guy is an absolute superstar in the slot, but was not utilized for whatever reason in Philly and in Pittsburgh. Well, their stupidity is our gain as I could see him coming here for a relatively cheap deal considering how talented he is. Who knows, maybe he is good on the outside despite being undersized.
Cuts/ Losses:
Kelechi Osemele
Daryl Smith
Will HIll-SMH
Canty
Draft:
Round 1: Pick 6
Myles Jack LB-UCLA
Probably the second best player in this draft behind Leremy Tunsil. He is hands down the best athlete in this draft, and his coverage rivals a lot of the safeties in the draft. We plug him in the middle of our defense and offenses can forget about throwing it over the middle. He does just about everything well, and while I do feel like he can get off blocks just a little bit better I think he can be taught how to do that with our coaches. I know some people may not like this pick but its BPA, and prefer a "luxury pick" over a reach any day.
The Ravens trade in their 36th pick for the Rams 43rd pick and their 76th pick.
Round 2 Pick 43
Noah Spence RUSH-EKU
This might be a huge stretch that we pick him here. It's not that I don't think he makes it here, I think we might not pick him up because of his baggage off the field and the fact that his interviews weren't as good as they could have been. This pick is now especially unlikely after Will Hill's latest slip up, but lets just all say that he is picked here in spite of what has transpired. He is a talented football player, and he has the potential to be a ridiculous pass rusher. He has good speed, good agility, and violent hands. Sit him behind Doom and Suggs to help him develop his moves, and he will be a monster.
The Ravens trade their 70th pick and their 104th to the Panthers for the 62nd pick
Round 2 Pick 62
Artie Burns CB- Miami University
The first thing that stands out with Artie is his size. He is a perfect example of what the prototypical corner is now in the NFL. He's tall, fast, and he has great ball skills. He should have stayed in school one more year to hone his skills because he is very raw, but due to the death of his mother he has to declare now to provide for his family. Even though he is raw, I think we should take him here because he flashes on film and we won't need him to start yet since we have Shareece who has proven he is more than serviceable as a #2 corner.
Round 3 Pick 76
Jerald Hawkins OT-LSU
I think he falls here because he is way too inconsistent. There are games where this guy wipes out the competition and then there are games where he is absolutely destroyed. Some of it is technique and some of it is just that he flat out needs to improve his strengt h. We pick him up here to sit behind Monroe for a few games and then start by week 8 once Eugene goes down with an injury.
Round 4 Pick 130
Kenny Lawler WR-Cal
I would love to take Leonte Carroo, but for obvious reasons, we will not be touching him. Braxton Miller is intriguing but I think he goes in the late 3rd or early 4th because of his potential alone.Well, that's okay because we can get a solid WR later. Kenny Lawler may not be the fastest, strongest, or well built wide receiver in the draft but he can play football. He is the master of gorgeous catches. Just put on his tape and you will see him do some ridiculous things when the ball is in the air. He also has quick feet which means there is something to work with when it comes to running routes. He could get a little stronger, learn the nuances of the game a little better, and work on his concentration drops; give him 2 good years to develop and he could definitely carve out a role as a playmaker for us.
Round 4 Pick 132
Eric Murray CB-Minnesota
A very underrated corner. He possesses really good technique and plays with a chip on his shoulder which is something I like. He managed 24 pass breakups over the course of his carreer which shows that he has pretty good ball skills. He is honestly just a depth pick with the potential to be a really good slot corner in a year or two.
Round 4 Pick 134
Shawn Oakman DL- Baylor
This is a purely potential based pick, and I feel like late in the 4th round is good value for him. I pesonally think he is going to be a huge disappointment if he goes any higher than the middle of the 4th round. Raw would be an understatement for this guy, but the tools are there. He is strong, he has long arms, and he has pretty good flexibility for a man his size. WIth that said, he stands up way too much at the point of attack; he has to learn how to get low and use a variety of moves to beat his man. Stil I could see him taking KLM's spot simply because he offers more upside, and I really can see him being dominate with our DL coaches.
So, what do you guys think? The only thing I wish I could have gotten in my mock draft was a homerun threat gadget guy that could play a little RB/WR/PR/KR, but there really aren't that many people like that in this draft. I hope you guys liked my draft!
