[News] DeForest Buckner Would Help Ravens Regain Defensive Identity

[Maryland]

I have mixed feelings on Buckner. On the one hand, we really need a DE, since our depth at the 5-tech is shallow and shaky. On the other hand, I think he plays too upright (meaning he will be easily stood-up by OL who play with better leverage), is overrated as a phenomenal athlete, and his sack #'s were inflated.

I think I'm just going to defer to Oz and the scouts on this one. If they draft Buckner, I'll assume it's the right move, despite my pessimism.

[Kev1625]

this is a must read comment

I'm going to give you four reasons why the Ravens would be wasting this pick if they took Deforest Buckner and I can't see how anyone can argue with me after reading this.

#1. Five Techniques Don't Belong Being Drafted in the top 15 Unless It's JJ Watt, And Buckner Aint JJ Watt

So name a player who plays the 5 technique in a 34 that's been drafted in the top 15 picks in the draft that made an immediate impact on their team. There's only one, and he has proven to be a once in a generation player and that's Watt. The Ravens want instant coffee and you aint getting that when you get Buckner. Especially when you watch the tape. Look up Buckner vs. Michigan State and watch him get blown off the ball by an NFL style line similar to what we face in our division. It's almost embarassing how bad he is. He did all of his damage against poor Pac 12 lines that don't even get into three point stances the whole game and I think it's a reason Oregon DE haven't produced in the NFL.

#2. The Ravens are crazy deep at The Five Technique and Already Have a 6-7 290 pound freak DE in Brent Urban

Garrett your in the building so I'm sure you know better than I do that the Ravens love Brent Urban. The kid can play and has upside to be better than buckner if he can stay healthy. Not to mention that the Ravens spent a second round pick on Timmy Jernigan in 2014 and a 3rd on Carl Davis in 2015 who both play Buckner's position. They also have Zedarius Smith who showed some ability to rush from that position as well.

3. You had an NFL worst 6 picks last year, If Jack, & Ramsey are gone. And they will be, you take Hargreaves. Period.

Sure the Ravens love picks but they don't ever again want one this high. That's why you keep it and brew some instant coffee and take Hargreaves. Ignore the talking heads telling you he's too short and isn't fast enough. Watch the tape. He's the best pure cover corner in this draft and I like William Jackson alot as well but Hargreaves is great in so many ways. He plays the run like a safety, he's deadly in zone coverage because he has amazing feet and makes decisions really quick. And despite his size he really attacks the ball well, tracks it well and picks it well. Put this guy in the backfield with Weddle, Jimmy and Webb and all of the sudden we're going and getting the ball in Baltimore again. Sure the seahawks have started a trend with the big corners but the Brent Grimes, Jason  Verret, Joe Haden and Chris Harris type of guys are thriving too. Hargreaves profiles as one of these types and he's the best option in this draft on defense after Ramsey and Myles Jack

4.  Ozzie knows better

If you walk into the war room and see Buckner in the top ten of the Ravens board then make Ozzie take a test to prove that he hasn't been body snatched by an alien. That's a cyborg in the skin of Ozzie Newsome trying to ruin one of the most important picks in Ravens history. Let's be real, this pick fails and it hurts, you could be here again. This isn't the top of draft where you trade down and wait to see who falls. The Ravens need a playmaker above all things. Very few guys in the top ten of this draft are that. There's defensive and offensive lineman in every round you can take but there's few sure fire deference making corners this year and in my mind Hargreaves is one of three true ball hawking types that can change your interception woes. There's also few sure fire pass rushers. In my eyes the Ravens have to take Hargreaves if he doesn't go top 5 and if he does then you take a edge rusher. If you don't have a edge rusher that meets the grade then trade back to where you want him and take him then. But if they pick at 6 and the mocks are right, meaning Jack and Ramsey are gone, please let us all pray that Hargreaves is rated higher than Bosa and Buckner on Ozzies board and if not, then football gods help us all.

[Drinkmore Beer]

Ravens top two picks should be a rusher and a CB. If Bosa is gone, then I could be happy with Lawson or Hargreaves as #1. Buckner just gives us more of what we already have. We need to plug some holes.

[J.O.14]

DEFOREST BUCKNER is the bigger,faster,stronger HALOTI NGATA.

On paper, let's wait and see if he dominates the way Ngata did.

[Tenacious Faulker]

I can't tell how much of these articles are for entertaining the fans and how much they;re smoke screens for the draft. Clearly the Ravens can't miss picking at #6 this year - especially a front 7-type pick where they can use some immediate help. The only screw up will be in NOT maximizing the pick's leverage if they can trade back and don't. That's really going to depend on the trade-up battle to land Goff or Wentz. Even with Cleveland signing RG3 they could still take a QB to develop behind him for a year. Even one QB in the top 5 gives them a shot at a stud.

Bosa, Jack, Spence, Buckner, and Lawson are all great picks and, yes, Bosa can fall to them just as CJ Mosely did in 2014. Maybe the Browns will make an equally stupid pick like the Steelers did then?

[Drew P]

None of the QB's are worth mortgaging the future of a franchise. Swapping first rounders for a few spots and throwing in a second rounder is plausible. Certainly not future first rounders to make a major leap.

[balfan23]

On 4/4/2016 at 3:20 PM, rmcjacket23 said:

Still not convinced we are that interested in Buckner, but could easily be wrong.

Of all the guys we are projected to take, he's the only one I've seen who hasn't had some sort of an official visit with the Ravens.

May mean something, may mean nothing. Would be interesting to see if we ever drafted a player we didn't visit with.

Huh ... I didn't realize that he never made a visit to us. That does seem odd. I've no idea how this works. Are visits, but NFL rule, something that must be reported? I can't imagine selecting a player we've never interviewed. No idea if that would be unprecedented, but it seems like it could be. 

[rmcjacket23]

15 hours ago, balfan23 said:

Huh ... I didn't realize that he never made a visit to us. That does seem odd. I've no idea how this works. Are visits, but NFL rule, something that must be reported? I can't imagine selecting a player we've never interviewed. No idea if that would be unprecedented, but it seems like it could be. 

To my knowledge, not required to report it. Most of the interviews take place in "public" access areas, like the Combine and Senior Bowl.

There's a specific amount of "private" visits certain players can take, and we've had several.

[757RavensFan]

On 4/5/2016 at 0:43 AM, Kev1625 said:

this is a must read comment

I'm going to give you four reasons why the Ravens would be wasting this pick if they took Deforest Buckner and I can't see how anyone can argue with me after reading this.

#1. Five Techniques Don't Belong Being Drafted in the top 15 Unless It's JJ Watt, And Buckner Aint JJ Watt

So name a player who plays the 5 technique in a 34 that's been drafted in the top 15 picks in the draft that made an immediate impact on their team. There's only one, and he has proven to be a once in a generation player and that's Watt. The Ravens want instant coffee and you aint getting that when you get Buckner. Especially when you watch the tape. Look up Buckner vs. Michigan State and watch him get blown off the ball by an NFL style line similar to what we face in our division. It's almost embarassing how bad he is. He did all of his damage against poor Pac 12 lines that don't even get into three point stances the whole game and I think it's a reason Oregon DE haven't produced in the NFL.

#2. The Ravens are crazy deep at The Five Technique and Already Have a 6-7 290 pound freak DE in Brent Urban

Garrett your in the building so I'm sure you know better than I do that the Ravens love Brent Urban. The kid can play and has upside to be better than buckner if he can stay healthy. Not to mention that the Ravens spent a second round pick on Timmy Jernigan in 2014 and a 3rd on Carl Davis in 2015 who both play Buckner's position. They also have Zedarius Smith who showed some ability to rush from that position as well.

3. You had an NFL worst 6 picks last year, If Jack, & Ramsey are gone. And they will be, you take Hargreaves. Period.

Sure the Ravens love picks but they don't ever again want one this high. That's why you keep it and brew some instant coffee and take Hargreaves. Ignore the talking heads telling you he's too short and isn't fast enough. Watch the tape. He's the best pure cover corner in this draft and I like William Jackson alot as well but Hargreaves is great in so many ways. He plays the run like a safety, he's deadly in zone coverage because he has amazing feet and makes decisions really quick. And despite his size he really attacks the ball well, tracks it well and picks it well. Put this guy in the backfield with Weddle, Jimmy and Webb and all of the sudden we're going and getting the ball in Baltimore again. Sure the seahawks have started a trend with the big corners but the Brent Grimes, Jason  Verret, Joe Haden and Chris Harris type of guys are thriving too. Hargreaves profiles as one of these types and he's the best option in this draft on defense after Ramsey and Myles Jack

4.  Ozzie knows better

If you walk into the war room and see Buckner in the top ten of the Ravens board then make Ozzie take a test to prove that he hasn't been body snatched by an alien. That's a cyborg in the skin of Ozzie Newsome trying to ruin one of the most important picks in Ravens history. Let's be real, this pick fails and it hurts, you could be here again. This isn't the top of draft where you trade down and wait to see who falls. The Ravens need a playmaker above all things. Very few guys in the top ten of this draft are that. There's defensive and offensive lineman in every round you can take but there's few sure fire deference making corners this year and in my mind Hargreaves is one of three true ball hawking types that can change your interception woes. There's also few sure fire pass rushers. In my eyes the Ravens have to take Hargreaves if he doesn't go top 5 and if he does then you take a edge rusher. If you don't have a edge rusher that meets the grade then trade back to where you want him and take him then. But if they pick at 6 and the mocks are right, meaning Jack and Ramsey are gone, please let us all pray that Hargreaves is rated higher than Bosa and Buckner on Ozzies board and if not, then football gods help us all.

 

After reading this article, if Buckner happens to be one of the "elite" defenders DeCosta is talking about, I'll trust their decision if they pick him with the 6th pick.

 http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Ravens-Confident-They-Can-Draft-A-Defensive-Playmaker-At-No-6/658cfdbc-ffc8-4fd5-ab60-93ac3a1bf7dc