[News] Eisenberg: Ravens Find Value After Other Teams Make Mistakes

[RavenzOz]

I'll never argue with Ozzie's and Eric's philosophy of the best value player, even if it sometimes means needs aren't addressed in the high rounds, as it delivered CJ Mosley last year who I'd bet my house is going to Canton one day.

It was just great to see the best-player philosophy address some serious needs we had this year, an alignment of the stars, and I can't wait to watch some football. Bring on September!

[bostonraven]

Two recent drafts come to mind where we landed a player that was 'projected' to us in Rd 1 in Rd 2. One with Flacco/Rice and the other with J. Smith/T. Smith. Both successful drafts. This one where M. Williams fell to us in the 2nd joins that club.

[Darkraven23]

This was a good draft obviously im a little aprehensive about perriman with those drops similar to what they said about torrey but every other pick seem like good potential obviously like tresman said in the presser they both need to compete they wont just be handed a roster spot as for waller he is a gt reciever and as we have seen stephen hill former new york jet wr a triple option offense isn't made for a lot of wide reciving sucess so i seem him more like a ps guy but i do like williams and gillmore working side by side with boyle as a back up it be pretty awesome and i agree williams is kinda like tood heap a relaible weapon joe grew up with

[SteveUKRavens]

@RavenzOz I totally agree. The stars certainly aligned with the double swoop at TE, because I unfortunately doubt if Pitta will play again. I love our 3rd and 4th round selections adding to a deep front 7 right now. Feel that come mid season we won't be seeing C.Canty ahead C.Davis. B.Urban is another player who I feel we should all have high hopes for if his recover goes well. Really nice rotation we should have on the D.Line.

[Purple Dawg 96]

I was predicting a CB for the # 1 pick but I'm kool with all the players selected that kid outta Iowa got my attention like Jernigan had it last year! I hope Joe can get his timing down with Perriman!

[GO_Ravens]

Perriman will be a beast those analysis don't know anything. All receivers go threw phases of drops. If you go back and look at what they said about O'Dell Beckham Jr on his combine report they said he struggle with drops but look at him.

[ellicottraven]

Just look at all the players we drafted. Each one can be a contributor right away with the exception of Waller perhaps. That to me is an awesome draft.

[Mr Football]

Great Draft! I really like our number 1 pick. This guy is like AB and TS in 1 package. He has the potential to be rookie of the year and a pro bowler his rookie year. Plus, that TE we got. I got a feeling he will become our version of New England's RG. And then all the other players OZ and Company got! It appears every one is an outstanding player and fits a need - amazing!

[thecommish]

I love some of the FA signing also..... both Bamma guys can play and I think have a legit shot at making this team....

[thecommish]

and I really like Julian Wilson CB out of Oklahoma and the Michigan DE/olb is an interesting grab! I still wouldnt mind seeing us pick up a FA CB - cant have too many CBs as we found out last season!

[sflegend89]

Love our draft this year. Perriman was exactly the type of prospect our offense has needed for ages, true #1 potential. Plays right into Joe's strengths with his ability to stretch the field. Williams I feel the best about in the whole draft, great pick that late in the 2nd. Every time he makes a big play in a rivalry game they'll be talking about how we jumped the Steelers for him. Za'Darius Smith, McPhee clone. Buck Allen reminds me a lot of Alfred Morris, he seems more technically sound than Bernard Pierce and has better vision and hands so he should be an upgrade. Walker has everything you look for in a corner, could be a Cary Williams type scenario where we have to spend a lot of time grooming him for a starting role but he will eventually get there and be pretty darn good too. Waller was a great dice roll that late in the draft, if we get lucky he could be a steal with his measurables, if he doesn't pan out it's not a big deal.. it's not like we had to burn a 4th round pick on him which is where he was slated to go.

[stixfix69]

we seem to find value in our draft picks as well as the UDFA's we sign, will be interesting to who will be our gems this year....

[smiley4660]

This was a very good draft for the Ravens! Another very exciting season lurks around the corner! I can't wait! Go Ravens!

[mearzunkies]

Love that model hen826957!! JJ would be a incredible asset in terms of technique and being an NFL player!

[huntrgathrr]

OK...this is for the enjoyment of all Raven's fans:

Sunday 5/3 Pitts. Post Gazette.....Kevin Colbert (Steeler GM) is quoted as saying: "...we tried to trade up to draft Golson", ..."we were taking a corner in round 2 even if Maxx Williams was still there". LOL LOL LOL.

Listening to a man lie through his teeth after being outsmarted is SO EMBARRASSING!

Golson was projected in the 3rd or 4th round by many. At 5'8" he might not make it in the NFL. I guess that is why they took the full 7 minutes to overdraft someone they could have gotten in the 3rd or 4th round.

Talk about trying to save face. After letting the Raven's get Mosely last year I guess having their pocket picked this year was just too much to bear. Especially after watching the Ravens spank the Steelers in their biggest game of the year in Pittsburgh. Their triumphant return to the playoffs after a 3 year absence.

If I was Rooney, I wouldn't let Colbert lie his way out of this one. Ha,Ha,Ha.

The disparity in talent between the 2 teams (Ravens are 6-3 vs. Steelers last 4 years) is a direct result of the superiority of the Raven front office.

Colbert and his bums just can't judge talent.

[itscbm5042]

Everyone is wondering why the Ravens felt comfortable drafting so much offense and thats because we also got two additional pass rushers... a healthy Kapron Lewis Moore probably goes in the 2nd round and Urban is a massive mid round guy. So we are getting so much talent back on defense due to improved health that we could focus on so much offense. They are in great shape for next year too and now it seems like solid veteran corners, like Joseph, will be made available and we have the cap space - the team will be solid at every position. Literally every position.

[Bruce_Almty]

Agree with itscbm5042, Ravens are talented at all positions but the D-line seems particularly crowded. This years crop of UDFAs are going to have to be dazzling diamonds, not diamonds in the rough, to make this team.

[SteveUKRavens]

Finding it hard to imagine how good a squad Ozzie could put together if we didn't have 20m tied up in dead money. Next few years will be very bright for the Ravens!

[HutHut]

I'm glad we are bringing in more S's. We can't afford to gamble waiting for Elam to develop.

[ravenpic]

The Ravens slightly changed their draft strategy and did it ever work out in their favor. They still drafted the best player available but with Super Bowl 50 as the ultimate reward they drafted the best player available for their immediate position needs. Their strategy continued through the entire draft. Good thinking by the Raven's Top Brass. I give them an A.

[Barney S]

Many teams made mistakes in the first 2 rounds that gave us top picks. Ozzie and Co. feel secure with the returning DB's as I do to have made offense a priority. The Ravens didn't waste one single pick IMO. The hidden gems are yet to be seen.

[law215]

I expect Ravens to add a CB after cuts to ensure they have experience depth behind the starters Webb, Smith, Asa. Just looked at the roster and the CB/DB position is fulled with 6'2" guys. Both lines look big and athletics. Depth at skill positions including QB. We look better at safety with Hill, Lewis , Brooks, Hopefully Elam steps up. Well done job in the offseason so far. If we can remain healthy, look out. Browns have QB issues, Steelers offense is potent but defense is retooling, Bengals we have beat them for 3 quarters then lose because of pass defense, but had injuries to CBs each time we faced them. I like Ravens chances.

[DaRupp]

Maxx Williams may make this entire draft worth it.

check out 1:45. holy moly...

[huntrgathrr]

Evan Silva at Yahoo Sports graded Ravens draft as an A. Commented that Ozzie got first round talent with his first 3 picks (Perriman, Williams and Davis). Home run.

Steelers grade was a D. Hollman..."contact adverse matador" won't last for his rookie contract, Grant..not athletic enough to hold up as an NFL corner, Golson...allowed too many TDs, limited to an NFL slot cornerback, Coates...bereft of ball skills, Dupree..total project as a pass rusher, wont help much in year one.

[MadStorkSociety]

@DaRupp - thanks for the MAXX highlights!

Are we sure he is not a WR? Hurdling defenders, toe tapping the out-of-bounds, flying past tacklers, actually getting separation - wow! The first couple of plays, he looks like John Mackey.

[Joey Flac]

i even said this before the draft... other teams making "need" or "want" based picks (Cowboys, Panthers and Eagles) allow the Ravens to work the draft. If every team did best player available, the draft would be VERY different.

I mean Byron Jones going in the first round.... only one team would of pulled the trigger on that! ...and they did.

[Joey Flac]

We got 3 top 40 players in the draft. I saw all three of those guys in the first round of mock drafts. What fool didn't work out Carl Davis and see he is a monster?! How was it people forgot about him for two entire rounds?

Senquez Golson was not worth a 2nd round pick! No undersized corner goes that early. He will have to play the nickel because we have some BIG boys out there.

He can only match up against Campanaro.

[EvilWayz]

After watching that highlight reel, I gotta say that Maxx, I'm sorry, Mad Maxx Williams will be a superstar on this roster. Nobody uses a TE the way we do. I remember when we had the blessing of having Tod Heap, boy was he a great dependable target for Joe while he was here, and even though I think Mad Maxx is a little shorter, I think our Ravens have found their next superstar TE. We don't how Dennis is going to feel or if he's even going to be able to play, but if he does and able to play at the least 16 games, do we have the best TE tandem in the NFL now?

[eric199479]

really happy with this draft. kind of wished we used a late pick, maybe 6th round, on Olomu, but other than that i think we nailed it.

[RavenzOz]

I think we have a deep and talented secondary. Hill and Lewis are locked in at safety. Elam is now a backup where he belongs (if that). Maybe he will "blossom" this year but I doubt it. Levine is a decent backup safety as well. Smith is a shutdown corner. Webb, Melvin, Brooks and Jackson will compete for the other corner and nickel spots. The remaining two will be adequate backups. The rookie Walker will have a tough time making the team as will Jacobs. We let Ngata walk because we saw what we can do without him during his suspension. Remember we get Urban and KLM back from IR. Adding Davis was for depth as we have Tyson and Means already backing up Canty, Williams and Jernigan. At linebacker Brown can't even get on the field and Za'Darius Smith looks like the versatile player that McPhee was. Overall this defense has every reason to be better than last year's which was pretty darn good. They showed this in the beatdown of Pittsburgh in the playoffs. The improvements on offense through the draft are really significant. I look for Williams to be an upgrade over Daniels and Perriman a HUGE upgrade over Torrey. Defenses will have to change what they can do when he is on the field. Waller has the potential to be a home run hitter. Receivers that are 6'6, 235, athletic and that can run a 4.4 are hard to defend. One report said back shoulder throws to him were "indefensible". How he slipped to the 6th round is a mystery to me. I know Aiken, Butler and Brown should be a lot more nervous about making the team this year. It is easy to see why Flacco was "fired up" and why Trestman was obviously so pleased at his press conference. With a solid offensive line and running game this could be a big time offense. Barring a barrage of injuries like last year (18 on IR), this will be a much better team that should make a deep playoff run. This will be a long summer. My hopes for this squad are sky high.

 

That sir, was the best draft write-up I have read in a long time, can you please go to nfl.com and teach them how it is done.