[News] Ozzie Newsome: Ravens' Recent Draft Classes Haven't Met Early High Standards

[BR News]

The Ravens drafted three likely Hall of Famers between 1996 and 2004, but haven’t hit many Pro Bowlers since. Still, Assistant GM Eric DeCosta said he’s proud of the team’s draft classes.

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[Space11jams]

I love the confidence

[fusuymada]

“You should research this,” DeCosta said. “No team has had more money spent on their players over the last seven years than us. To me, that’s an indication that other teams value our players.” What that tells me is that we spend a lot of time and effort training other players to play for someone else. Is that the result we are looking for? Especially since they spend very little time on the field until their final year. I would prefer we figure how to keep more Art Joneses and Paul Krugers and Pernell McPhee's instead of training them, throwing them to the fire, have them develop chemistry with our players to lose them in exchange for a comp pick that is only the 3rd round at the highest. Except for Brady and Manning, most teams get to the playoffs by drafting a young qb who makes limited money and surrounding them with a bunch of great players who they can pay because the QB isn't making 120 million. Its how we won the last super bowl. I agree with the coach who said that every team needs to get a good young QB every two years and start working them into the system so when the QB they have wants a 120 million dollar contract they can go get one with someone else and then we can afford to keep the players that make the difference in winning super bowls.

[ravensnj]

I think we should nab Ryan Kelly (C) with our 2nd round pick. This way, even if we crap the bed with our first rounder, we have a blue chip player for the next 10-12 yrs.

[rmcjacket23]

2 minutes ago, fusuymada said:

“You should research this,” DeCosta said. “No team has had more money spent on their players over the last seven years than us. To me, that’s an indication that other teams value our players.” What that tells me is that we spend a lot of time and effort training other players to play for someone else. Is that the result we are looking for? Especially since they spend very little time on the field until their final year. I would prefer we figure how to keep more Art Joneses and Paul Krugers and Pernell McPhee's instead of training them, throwing them to the fire, have them develop chemistry with our players to lose them in exchange for a comp pick that is only the 3rd round at the highest. Except for Brady and Manning, most teams get to the playoffs by drafting a young qb who makes limited money and surrounding them with a bunch of great players who they can pay because the QB isn't making 120 million. Its how we won the last super bowl. I agree with the coach who said that every team needs to get a good young QB every two years and start working them into the system so when the QB they have wants a 120 million dollar contract they can go get one with someone else and then we can afford to keep the players that make the difference in winning super bowls.

1. Its quite literally impossible to get a good young QB every two years. College doesn't produce a good young QB every two years for the same team to get. Not a sustainable model for an NFL franchise, which is why nobody is implementing it.

2. No, we spend a lot of time and effort training our players so they can play well for us when they are here. Its impossible to retain all of those guys you mentioned and still be competitive in this league. Simply can't be done. The irony of it all is that the guys you are describing were third round picks or in that area, meaning swapping them out for a 3rd or 4th round comp pick could mean that we draft somebody who is just as good as them... and that's without paying market value for them.

3. 100% of sustainable, long-term, quality football teams in the NFL pay top tier money to their QB. 100% of them. Winning one SB with Brock Osweiler and a crippled Peyton Manning doesn't indicate a shift in how NFL teams operate... that's an overreaction.

QBs make the difference in winning SBs long term. Those are the guys you keep. Nobody remembers the pass rusher who wins multiple SBs, because oftentimes, they simply don't.

[ellicottraven]

Well no matter how we spin it, the fact is that the drafts haven't been 'Ravens stellar' in the recent past. So, with this draft (now that we are picking at the top of the board), we better start selecting a few all pro type players.

[Crusader]

Gee, do I see cracks in the alter of Ozzie? Most of us have seen that for the last 5 years and last year the guy never mad it to the field.A one & two pick guys are special team players.This can't continue much longer or Ravens will be looking up at the Browns for YEARS.

[steelcityraven]

I still think that our 2014 draft will turn out to be a great one. 1. CJ Mosley... has all the makings of a super star 2. Timmy Jernigan... he is a starter and looks like can be a pro bowl player for us. 3. T Brooks... I don't believe we have seen his best yet and think he will continue to progress and become an impact player for us. 4. Crocket Glmore... is a starter and developing into a very good TE 5. Brent Urban... I feel like we are seeing glimpses of greatness with urban.. just needs to stay healthy... 6. LTaliferio.... same as urban. 7. JUrschel... Urschel looks like the replacement for KO and a steadily improving player who will be a solid starter for us. 8. Keith Wenning.... while he is gone...he was not a horrible pick. 9. MCapmanaro... I can say the same thing about CAMP as we did about Urban and LT... "IF" he can stay healthy! This has the potential to still be a home run draft class ... we just cannot have the misses like in 2013~

[steelcityraven]

I am also not yet ready to call 2015 a bust. 1. Perriman could still prove to be a super star... We just don't know yet. 2. Maxx Wlliams.... could also become a pro bowl TE 3. Carl Davis showed signs of being the steal of the draft for us and is only going to get better. 4. ZSmith.... showed that he can produce and when he was played... he did (matching McPhees rookie production in a lot less time) Z could be a steal still... 5. Buck Allen... showed that he can at least be a quality back up... if not develop into a lead back. 6. Tray Walker's tragedy has been well documented 7. Boyle... looked to be better then Maxx at times... but needs to get his head right... (Not sure what to expect with Boyle moving forward).... 8. Robert Myers was a bust but 9. Darren Waller could be another gem... (especially if the move to TE pans out)>... with all that... 2015 and 2014 still have potential to be not just good but great draft classes. Careful with the Ozzie bashing... it may be way too early for that!

[sticks999]

I am also not yet ready to call 2015 a bust. 1. Perriman could still prove to be a super star... We just don't know yet. 2. Maxx Wlliams.... could also become a pro bowl TE 3. Carl Davis showed signs of being the steal of the draft for us and is only going to get better. 4. ZSmith.... showed that he can produce and when he was played... he did (matching McPhees rookie production in a lot less time) Z could be a steal still... 5. Buck Allen... showed that he can at least be a quality back up... if not develop into a lead back. 6. Tray Walker's tragedy has been well documented 7. Boyle... looked to be better then Maxx at times... but needs to get his head right... (Not sure what to expect with Boyle moving forward).... 8. Robert Myers was a bust but 9. Darren Waller could be another gem... (especially if the move to TE pans out)>... with all that... 2015 and 2014 still have potential to be not just good but great draft classes. Careful with the Ozzie bashing... it may be way too early for that!

Don't hold your breath on Perriman.

[jravens1313]

  2 hours ago, steelcityraven said:

I am also not yet ready to call 2015 a bust. 1. Perriman could still prove to be a super star... We just don't know yet. 2. Maxx Wlliams.... could also become a pro bowl TE 3. Carl Davis showed signs of being the steal of the draft for us and is only going to get better. 4. ZSmith.... showed that he can produce and when he was played... he did (matching McPhees rookie production in a lot less time) Z could be a steal still... 5. Buck Allen... showed that he can at least be a quality back up... if not develop into a lead back. 6. Tray Walker's tragedy has been well documented 7. Boyle... looked to be better then Maxx at times... but needs to get his head right... (Not sure what to expect with Boyle moving forward).... 8. Robert Myers was a bust but 9. Darren Waller could be another gem... (especially if the move to TE pans out)>... with all that... 2015 and 2014 still have potential to be not just good but great draft classes. Careful with the Ozzie bashing... it may be way too early for that!

Don't hold your breath on Perriman.

Perriman is going to be a beast.

[RavensDieHard21]

Realistically, our recent draft classes have provided many talented starters that have really helped this team. Maybe not all-pros, but some are arguably pro bowlers, which we all know is a big popularity contest. Brandon Williams belonged there this past year and he was a 3rd round pick. Jimmy Smith was a top 5 CB in 2014 before his injury, easily on his way to a pro bowl. CJ will consistently make it there, KO should have went this year and perhaps last year too. Justin Tucker wasn't drafted, but we still were the ones that picked him up too!

Obviously drafting at the top of the round is the best way to land blue chippers, but for where we have drafted, we have done rather well. Flacco= January Monster, Oher= was a durable T that should have been on the right side, Jimmy Smith=Talented CB1 that I believe is a stud, Upshaw= Very underrated overall because everyone judged his services based on pass rushing ineptitude. Elam= Has one more year to prove himself and was perhaps asked too much his sophomore year to transition from SS to FS to nickel corner, CJ= home run, Perriman= A very interesting prospect that I believe will produce some really big plays for our offense. Last but not least, our 2016 1st rounder I will guarantee will be a pro bowler by their second year and potentially an all-pro, Ozzie is money on early picks!

[England Fan]

Here are my questions, which come to mind as an auditor:

1. What have they learned from the past 3 drafts, to improve the process this year? Have they made any tweaks, or are they just continuing as they have in the past? (If you aren’t improving, you’re probably going backwards)

2. Have they done any analysis on players they skipped on in past drafts, which turned out to be much better than the player they had ranked above them at the time of the draft? Why did they not have the better player ranked higher? Was it because there just wasn’t enough information out there on the player, or that they didn’t have the right information, or did the group decision making process cause them to rank a lower player higher? Have they changed anything in their scouting/draft process to get better at this?

3. Which of their scouts consistently recommends players that ended up being very good players, but didn’t end up ranked as highly on the final draft board for whatever reason? Do they have this information? If not, why not? There appear to be a couple of skills at play: a) being able to spot talent, and then b) being able to persuade other people with strong personalities that a player is better than the current group think. Do they know the scouts good at a) but not at b)? Are they consistently (more than 3 or 4 times) disregarding the scouts good at a)?

4. Related to 3 above, the concern I have with a group consensus approach is that strong personalities usually win, but they may not be the best talent evaluators. How do they protect against that in their decision making?

[HomeoftheBRAVENS]

2011: • Jimmy Smith
• Torrey Smith
• Pernell McPhee

2012: • Kelechi Osemele
• Justin Tucker(UDFA,I count those as well)

2013: • Brandon Williams
• Ricky Wagner

2014: • CJ Mosley
• Timmy Jernigan
• Crockett Gilmore

2015: •Breshad Perriman(TBD but showed the potential last year in TC)
•Maxx Williams(Has potential/year two is when it usually turns on for TE's)
•Javorius Allen(Not where we'd like him to be yet,but showed the probowl caliber potential at times)
•ZaDarius Smith(The other rookie that showed big potential last year)


They've drafted well in the past 5 years with or with out a roster of probowlers.I don't see how some fans and some journalist are calling any of them awful.You can't call the 2011 draft anything but a win with those 3 players we found.In the 2012 draft we found an elite guard and an elite kicker.Finding two elite rookies at any two positions in the same off season is a win to me.In 2013,we found the heart of our D Line and a quality RT.Even though our misses with the first two picks looked bad,I'd still give that year a B minus simply because of those two.Then in 2014,we found the future of our ILB group for the next ten years(even though he looked bad at times last year),a playmaker who still has the potential to improve at DE and a big strong starting caliber TE who can block and make plays in the passing game.That year looks good already and should be even more improved in year three.It's too soon to judge last years class.

[HomeoftheBRAVENS]

If Timmy and Gilmore stay healthy this year,Perrmian shows he can be the deep threat we want,the other three good playrers from that year improve from their rookie seasons,we get an immediate starter at sixth overall and anything from the other rookies,we'll be looking back in Feb saying how great the last three drafts were.I know that's alot of if's,but none of them are far fetched.Behind the older stars who will do heavy lifting,we're a young team with the potential to be great because of the last two drafts and the high picks we have this year.

Edited April 6, 2016 by HomeoftheBRAVENS

[Crusader]

2011: • Jimmy Smith
• Torrey Smith
• Pernell McPhee

2012: • Kelechi Osemele
• Justin Tucker(UDFA,I count those as well)

2013: • Brandon Williams
• Ricky Wagner

2014: • CJ Mosley
• Timmy Jernigan
• Crockett Gilmore

2015: •Breshad Perriman(TBD but showed the potential last year in TC)
•Maxx Williams(Has potential/year two is when it usually turns on for TE's)
•Javorius Allen(Not where we'd like him to be yet,but showed the probowl caliber potential at times)
•ZaDarius Smith(The other rookie that showed big potential last year)


They've drafted well in the past 5 years with or with out a roster of probowlers.I don't see how some fans and some journalist are calling any of them awful.You can't call the 2011 draft anything but a win with those 3 players we found.In the 2012 draft we found an elite guard and an elite kicker.Finding two elite rookies at any two positions in the same off season is a win to me.In 2013,we found the heart of our D Line and a quality RT.Even though our misses with the first two picks looked bad,I'd still give that year a B minus simply because of those two.Then in 2014,we found the future of our ILB group for the next ten years(even though he looked bad at times last year),a playmaker who still has the potential to improve at DE and a big strong starting caliber TE who can block and make plays in the passing game.That year looks good already and should be even more improved in year three.It's too soon to judge last years class.

How can you say Perriman showed potential when he has not even played an NFL game? You turn the "lights on" and he could become below average.

[HomeoftheBRAVENS]

9 minutes ago, Crusader said:

How can you say Perriman showed potential when he has not even played an NFL game? You turn the "lights on" and he could become below average.

 

I said he showed potential in training camp.We've seen multiple highlights of him making catches and running decent routes in last years TC.That combined with his athleticism and the way he played in college why I still say he has potential.I doubt he's going to be anything less than a Torrey Smith caliber receiver after how much I've watched his college games and pro day workout.He just looks like he'll play like he belongs in the NFL.

Edited April 6, 2016 by HomeoftheBRAVENS

[Fastynart]

Ozzie Newsome's drafting since 2009 has been abominable. His early picks, especially in the first and second rounds have pretty much been flushed. I can't believe that he took Elam and then Perriman in the first round when other more talented players were still around. Him and his garbage Alabama connection as the media describes it has cost the Ravens dearly. THAT is EXSACTLY why we find ourselves with a porous defense and out of the playoffs.

[Cawtious]

6 hours ago, HomeoftheBRAVENS said:

2013: • Brandon Williams
• Ricky Wagner



 

They'll be another guy added to this list by the end of the year from 2013.  Ryan Jensen.......His first two seasons were lost to injury and illness.  Last year he showed well after getting his feet wet in his first two starts.  Some folks are slating him a backup.  I don't think that's how it will go for him.

 

[thieverycorporation]

The draft has had a lot of high profile/round stinkers foshowr

[Fastynart]

And just whose fault is that? Ozzie Newsome's that's who. He has picked more lemons than Trini Lopez. Only one name stands out, well ok, two, Mosely and Brandon Williams (3rd round). Otherwise Newsome has blown our few high picks on losers like Elam and Perriman. I don't know what has happened to him but he doesn't know what he is doing any more on draft day. Need proof. Last year his lame picks have finally caught up to the Ravens. No playoffs and awful defense. Oh, wait lets take another wide receiver this year. Good grief!