How Much Do Prospect Visits Matter?

[Maryland]

I saw earlier that the Ravens were scheduled to meet privately with VH3, which got me a little excited because he is one of my favorite prospects. However, it's no secret that teams interview prospects for many different reasons, ranging from genuine interest to purposely feigning interest to trick other teams. In addition, teams will never meet or speak with certain prospects and then draft them, much to the surprise of the player himself.

So this got me wondering: how strong of a connection is there between the Ravens' prospect interviews and actually drafting them? Taking what I could find from various sites, I composed a list, highlighting those we actually brought in either through the draft, UDFA, or waivers. 

2011

*Baylor guard Danny Watkins (3/16).

*Georgia defensive end Justin Houston (3/21, ).

+Illinois linebacker Martez Wilson (3/21, 4/?).

*Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams (3/21).

*Purdue defensive end Ryan Kerrigan (3/22).

+Abilene Christian wide receiver Edmund Gates (3/23, 3/27).

*Georgia linebacker Akeem Dent (3/?).

*Miami cornerback Demarcus Van Dyke (3/?).

*Utah State cornerback Curtis Marsh (3/?).

*UT-Chattanooga cornerback Buster Skrine (3/24).

*Florida State guard/center Rodney Hudson (3/?).

+Temple defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson (3/28).

*Arizona defensive end Brooks Reed (3/28).

*Arizona defensive end Ricky Elmore (3/28).

*Appalachian State safety Mark LeGree (3/29).

Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith (3/29).

Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith (3/29).

*Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews (3/30).

*Lehigh guard/tackle Will Rackley (3/30).

*Texas cornerback Curtis Brown (3/?).

Iowa defensive lineman Christian Ballard (3/?).

*Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith (?/?).

*Rice defensive end Cheta Ozougwu (?/?).

*Richmond cornerback Justin Rogers (?/?).

*Delaware safety Anthony Walters (?/?).

*Illinois defensive tackle Corey Liuget (?/?).

Pittsburgh wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin (?/?).

Georgia wide receiver Kris Durham (?/?).

*Texas linebacker/defensive end Sam Acho (3/?).

*Baldwin-Wallace linebacker Keith Darbut (4/?).

+Virginia Union offensive tackle David Mims (4/6).

UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers (4/7).

North Carolina wide receiver Greg Little (4/7).

North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn (4/7).

Mississippi linebacker Jonathan Cornell (4/7).

Pittsburgh defensive end Jabaal Sheard (4/8).

Louisiana Tech return specialist Phillip Livas (4/20).

South Carolina cornerback Chris Culliver (4/20).

2012

+Oklahoma State offensive tackle Levy Adcock (?/?).

Miami (Ohio) guard Brandon Brooks (?/?).

LSU cornerback Ron Brooks (3/30).

*North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown (4/?).

+Delaware guard/center Gino Gradkowski (?/?).

Oregon State cornerback Brandon Hardin (?/?).

Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill (4/5).

Pittsburgh cornerback Buddy Jackson (3/30).

Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins (4/4).

Virginia defensive end Cam Johnson (4/?).

*Georgia center Ben Jones (?/?).

California linebacker Mychal Kendricks (4/?).

Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (?/?).

Wisconsin center Peter Konz (4/?).

*Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead (4/4).

*USC defensive end Nick Perry (3/?).

Central Florida cornerback Josh Robinson (3/30).

UCLA receiver Nelson Rosario (4/3).

Syracuse safety Phillip Thomas (3/30).

*Texas kicker Justin Tucker (4/24).

Utah State linebacker Bobby Wagner (?/?).

*Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler (?/?).

2013

Tavon Austin%, WR, West Virginia (PRI) (COM)

Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon (SR)

Steve Beauharnais, LB, Rutgers (SR)

Tommy Bohanon, FB, Wake Forest (SR)

Michael Buchanan, DL, Illinois (SR)

Tank Carradine%, DE, Florida State (PRI) (COM)

Braxston Cave, OL, Notre Dame (SR)

DeWayne Cherrington, DL, Mississippi State (PRO)

Brandon Copeland, DL, Penn (PRO)

Jordan Devey, OL, Memphis (EW)

Quinton Dial, DL, Alabama (INT)

Lavar Edwards, DL, LSU (SR)

Matt Elam, S, Florida (COM)

Josh Evans, S, Florida (COM)

D.J. Fluker%, OT, Alabama (PRI) (COM)

Corey Fuller, WR, Virginia Tech (COM)

Dwayne Gratz, DB, Connecticut (SR#)

Chris Harper, WR, Kansas State (VINT)

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson (COM)

Dustin Hopkins, PK, Florida State (SR)

Wes Horton, DL, USC (EW)

Margus Hunt%, DE, SMU (PRI) (COM)

Stefphon Jefferson, RB, Nevada (COM)

Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State (COM)

Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma (COM)

Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati (PRI)

Tavarres King, WR, Georgia (SR)

Kevin Minter%, ILB, LSU (PRI) (COM)

Damontre Moore, DL, Texas A&M (PRI)

Sio Moore, LB, Connecticut (PRI)

Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia (PRI)

Alex Okafor, DL, Texas (SR)

Toben Opurum, FB, Kansas (INT)

Ryan Otten, TE, San Jose State (SR)

Chris Pantale, TE, Boston College (COM)

Will Pericak, DL, Colorado (PRI)

Keith Pough, LB, Howard (INT)

Justin Pugh%, OL, Syracuse (PRI) (SR#)

David Quessenberry, OL, San Jose State (SR)

Bacarri Rambo, DB, Georgia (PRI)

Kevin Reddick, LB, North Carolina (COM)

Brian Schwenke, OL, California (SR)

Russell Shepard, WR, LSU (PRI)

D.J. Swearinger, S, South Carolina (COM)

Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M (SR)

Cooper Taylor, DB, Richmond (PRI)

Jamar Taylor, DB, Boise State (PRI)

Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford (SR)

Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas (COM)

Conner Vernon, WR, Duke (SR)

Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State (COM)

Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State (SR)

Brennan Williams, OT, North Carolina (COM)

Earl Wolff, S, N.C. State (EW)

2014

Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech (COM)

Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, Georgia Tech (COM)

Kelvin Benjamin%, WR, Florida State (PRI) (COM)

Chris Borland%, LB, Wisconsin (COM) (SR)

Chris Boswell, PK, Rice (SR)

Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois (SR)

Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson (PRI)

Deone Bucannon, DB, Washington State (PRI)

Christopher Burnette, G, Georgia (EW)

Michael Campanaro, WR, Wake Forest (LOC)

Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona (COM)

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, DB, Alabama (PRO)

Mike Davis%, WR, Texas (COM) (SR%)

Aaron Donald, DL, Pittsburgh (COM)

Dominique Easley, DL, Florida (PRO)

Eric Ebron%, TE, North Carolina (PRI) (COM)

Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (COM)

Dee Ford, DL, Auburn (COM)

Khairi Fortt, LB, California (PRI)

Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois (PRI)

Kevin Graf, OL, Southern California (EW)

Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State (COM)

Gabe Jackson, OL, Mississippi State (SR)

Kenny Ladler, DB, Vanderbilt (SR)

Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU (COM)

Tyler Larsen, OL, Utah State (SR)

Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana (PRO)

Marqise Lee%, WR, USC (PRI) (COM)

Jordan Love, DB, Towson (LOC)

Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt (COM)

A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama (PRI)

Dexter McDougle, DB, Maryland (PRI)

Keith McGill, DB, Utah (PRI)

Morgan Moses, OL, Virginia (COM)

C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama (PRI)

Kevin Norwood, WR, Alabama (SR)

Cody Parkey, K, Auburn (SR)

Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin (SR)

Joe Rankin, DB, Morgan State (LOC)

Michael Sam%, LB, Missouri (INT) (COM) (SR)

Kiero Small, RB, Arkansas (LOC)

Telvin Smith, LB, Florida State (SR)

Logan Thomas%, QB, Virginia Tech (PRI/PRO) (COM)

Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (PRI)

Jimmie Ward, DB, Northern Illinois (PRI)

Keith Wenning, QB, Ball State (PRI)

Terrance West%, RB, Towson (LOC) (COM)

Andre Williams, RB, Boston College (COM)

2015

WR DeVante Parker, Louisville

LB Shane Ray, Missouri

RB Tevin Coleman, Indiana

OT La'el Collins, LSU

RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

CB Eric Rowe, Utah

DL Randy Gregory, Nebraska

CB P.J. Williams, Florida State

OL Robert Myers, Tennessee State*

OL A.J. Cann, South Carolina*

LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State

CB Marcus Peters, Washington

CB Tray Walker, Texas Southern

WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri

RB Jay Ajayi, Boise State

WR Breshad Perriman, Central Florida

CB Jalen Collins, LSU

CB/KR Chris Dunkley, USF

TE Jesse James, Penn State

RB Tevin Coleman, Indiana

WR Phillip Dorsett, Miami

2016

Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson (COM) Joey Bosa^, DE/3-4OLB, Ohio State (COM, PRI) James Bradberry, CB, Samford (SR) Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State (PRI) Blake Countess, CB, Auburn (PRI) Joe Dahl, G/OT, Washington State (STM) Sean Davis^, FS/CB, Maryland (COM, LOC, STM) Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama (SR) Leonard Floyd, OLB/3-4OLB, Georgia (PRI) Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida (PRI) Darien Harris, OLB, Michigan State (LOC) Tyler Higbee, TE, Western Kentucky (WOR) Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford (WOR) Tyrone Holmes, DE, Montana (EW) Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA (PRI) Darius Jackson, RB, Eastern Michigan (PRI) William Jackson III, CB, Houston (PRI) Quinton Jefferson, DT, Maryland (LOC) Cyrus Jones^, CB, Alabama (PRI, LOC) Deion Jones, OLB, LSU (PRI) Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia (PRI) Jay Lee^, WR, Baylor (SR, PRI) Tyler Matakevich, ILB/OLB, Temple (SR) Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State (WOR) Robert Nkemdiche, DT/DE/3-4DE, Ole Miss (PRI) Emmanuel Ogbah, DE/3-4DE, Oklahoma State (WOR) David Onyemata, DT, Manitoba (EW) Will Parks, SS, Arizona (PRO) Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama (PRI) Jalen Ramsey^, CB/S, Florida State (COM, PRI) Jake Rudock, QB, Michigan (WOR) Ryan Smith, CB, North Carolina Central (WOR) Noah Spence^, OLB/DE/3-4OLB, Eastern Kentucky (COM, PRI) Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana (WOR) Ronnie Stanley^, OT, Notre Dame (COM, PRI) Charles Tapper, DE/3-4DE, Oklahoma (COM) Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State (WOR) Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss (COM) Cody Whitehair, G, Kansas State (SR) Tavon Young^, CB, Temple (WOR, PRI)

 

So what does this tell us? Well, we met with our eventual first round pick every year in which we had a first round pick in this sample size, so it seems like they don't purposely not interview the players they want in the first. After the first though... it seems like a crapshoot. We interview like 10 prospects for every 1 we actually draft. Most of the players we draft each year after the first round are never even interviewed, at least according to what we know from these databases. Of our second round picks (6 of them here) we only interviewed Torrey Smith. 

What I wish I had consistent in all of this data is when/where we are meeting these prospects. A meeting in private is weighted more heavily than a meeting at the EW Shrine Game, for example.

Another thing we will never know is just how much the Ravens actually coveted a player they didn't even have a chance to draft. For example, the Ravens never actually interviewed Khalil Mack, but they attempted to trade up from 17 to get him. Likewise, they really coveted Marcus Peters last year, but they never had the chance to draft him either. 

Anyway, this list is nostalgic if nothing else. 

Oh, and let me know if I skipped any names on this list, or if we interviewed someone not on the list.

Edited April 16, 2016 by Maryland

[allblackraven]

The only thing I read from this is that the Ravens (all the other teams, too) want a closer look at players they think could be pick worthy, regardless of where exactly in the draft. I imagine there are players in each draft that don't really need more scrutiny because either their tape tells the entire story or it is clear that they are going off the board early and the team has no realistic chance of getting them, unless the trade up is possible.

Edited March 22, 2016 by allblackraven

[usmccharles]

Great job doing the research and putting the time into all that.  I think it matters some but not and 'end all be all' type of situation.

[sflegend89]

No Myles Jack or Buckner huh? Surprised we didn't even talk to them at the combine (Well at least from what was reported). As others have stated it doesn't matter a whole lot, certain guys they want to get more of a read on whether that's because they're in consideration for one of our picks or they have some concerns that they want to get to the bottom of. We do tend to have a visit with our 1st round pick though as the data indicates so in all likelihood Ramsey/Bosa/VH3/Stanley are guys we're zoned in on at #6. I like that we had a private visit with VH3, I think we're higher on him than many fans seem to think, he killed the DB drills at the combine.

 

Also just saw the Brown haven't interviewed Wentz or Goff (At least publicly).. what the heck is up with that? Just Paxton Lynch who might be around in the 2nd. Anybody think they're not high on either of them and instead are looking to grab Bosa and take a guy like Lynch in the 2nd, that would make a lot of sense to me as I've heard a lot that this is a terrible QB class.

[Jaybirds]

Any way to tell how many of those guys we met more than once? 

Edited March 22, 2016 by Jaybirds

[JoeyFlex5]

2 hours ago, sflegend89 said:

No Myles Jack or Buckner huh? Surprised we didn't even talk to them at the combine (Well at least from what was reported). As others have stated it doesn't matter a whole lot, certain guys they want to get more of a read on whether that's because they're in consideration for one of our picks or they have some concerns that they want to get to the bottom of. We do tend to have a visit with our 1st round pick though as the data indicates so in all likelihood Ramsey/Bosa/VH3/Stanley are guys we're zoned in on at #6. I like that we had a private visit with VH3, I think we're higher on him than many fans seem to think, he killed the DB drills at the combine.

 

Also just saw the Brown haven't interviewed Wentz or Goff (At least publicly).. what the heck is up with that? Just Paxton Lynch who might be around in the 2nd. Anybody think they're not high on either of them and instead are looking to grab Bosa and take a guy like Lynch in the 2nd, that would make a lot of sense to me as I've heard a lot that this is a terrible QB class.

Very likely. Hue Jackson is no dummy and you can bet a coach of his caliber is gonna have his hand in the draft, if he has some pull there then he's gonna be rooting against qb because there are much better players that can be had 2nd. 

 

Its quite depressing knowing we could have lost to them and been in much better shape right now...

[Dewy101]

3 hours ago, sflegend89 said:

No Myles Jack or Buckner huh? Surprised we didn't even talk to them at the combine (Well at least from what was reported). As others have stated it doesn't matter a whole lot, certain guys they want to get more of a read on whether that's because they're in consideration for one of our picks or they have some concerns that they want to get to the bottom of. We do tend to have a visit with our 1st round pick though as the data indicates so in all likelihood Ramsey/Bosa/VH3/Stanley are guys we're zoned in on at #6. I like that we had a private visit with VH3, I think we're higher on him than many fans seem to think, he killed the DB drills at the combine.

 

Also just saw the Brown haven't interviewed Wentz or Goff (At least publicly).. what the heck is up with that? Just Paxton Lynch who might be around in the 2nd. Anybody think they're not high on either of them and instead are looking to grab Bosa and take a guy like Lynch in the 2nd, that would make a lot of sense to me as I've heard a lot that this is a terrible QB class.

I'm guessing one of those two are probably going to be our picks if they're there of course. 

[PurpleNight12]

It usually does matter some because it gives a team further information on the player.  Whether they will actually take a look at that player in the draft or if they fit into the the team chemistry.  

[thieverycorporation]

Matters but the tape means more. Ozzie eluded to instincts as being key with Watson. I think Ozzie will be less willing to potentially tip his hand in regards to any coveted player as in their own words stated they view this draft as a must nail it type to remain in striking distance. Teams have been interestingly mum on allfronts. Event he projections in the top five remain fluid and far less predictable then previous years. JMoberservation/take on the process.

[Davesta]

No Buckner? Uh oh.. We drafting Stanley. On a more serious note though, wonder which one would they view with a higher grade between those two.

[Mt. Crushmore]

Nice research 

[52520Andrew]

Whenever I see a post go in depth like this, I just give it a +1 for effort. This is some interesting stuff though, nice work

[RaineV1]

7 hours ago, Davesta said:

No Buckner? Uh oh.. We drafting Stanley. On a more serious note though, wonder which one would they view with a higher grade between those two.

I don't know if we've ever drafted 1st rounders without visits before, but the Ravens have drafted guys they didn't express interest in before. Davis last year said he was surprised the Ravens picked him since they didn't do any type of close look at him in person.

[BmoreBird22]

I think these meetings matter to an extent. I honestly think the Ravens probably have a genuine interest in like 80% of these guys, but if you're interviewing 25+ guys and only have seven picks, well, you're obviously going to miss out on many.

[Mt. Crushmore]

15 hours ago, 52520Andrew said:

Whenever I see a post go in depth like this, I just give it a +1 for effort. This is some interesting stuff though, nice work

Same