The Baltimore Ravens have many draft needs going into the 2019 NFL Draft, so who should be their first pick at No. 22?
The Ravens are in need of a wide receiver, an offensive lineman and an edge rusher. Many have speculated that the wide receiver position will be the Ravens’ first selection in the draft when they are on the clock with the 22nd selection in the NFL Draft.
Head coach John Harbaugh said that he wanted “tough receivers.” The team needs a receiver that has good hands, is fast and can gain good separation. Under former Ravens’ general manager Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens have not been successful drafting a first-round wide receiver.
The last would-be deep threat wide receiver that was signed by the Ravens was Breshad Perriman, who was selected in the first round (26th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. In the three seasons he spent in Baltimore, he played a total of 27 games.
He missed his rookie season after he sprained his PCL on the first day of training camp. His best season was 2016, where he recorded 33 receptions for 499 yards and three touchdowns. In 2017, he suffered a hamstring injury and missed six games. Perriman was released in September 2018.
Before that, the Ravens selected wide receiver Mark Clayton in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He started his rookie season with injuries and missed two games. He had only one productive season, in 2006, when he recorded 67 receptions for 939 yards with five touchdowns. He lasted five seasons before he was traded to the Rams in 2010.
Newsome was a defensive guru. His selections turned into the NFL’s No. 1 defense. However, some of his offensive selections were short-sighted. With Lamar Jackson at the helm as the new quarterback, the team is focusing heavily on the run game, turning this offense from a passing to a run-heavy scheme. A strong, healthy, consistent offensive line that will protect him from sacks and to open holes for him and his running backs is what this quarterback needs. What position that needs to be chosen at No. 22 is an offensive lineman. Here are two offensive linemen that the Ravens should be taking a look at.
Erik McCoy, out of Texas A&M, is one player the team should look at. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 303 pounds, he is a good size for a guard or center. He is reported as having strong hands and can withstand the power and athleticism of the defense. He was a three-year starter after being red-shirted in 2015 and has played both center and guard; a potential plug and play blocker. He is good at controlling defenders and sustaining blocks.
Michael Jordan is another versatile offensive lineman. He played both guard and center while he attended Ohio State. In his freshman season, he earned freshman All-American honors with 13 starts. As a sophomore, he had 14 starts. When he switched to center in his junior season, he earned second-team All-Conference with 14 starts. Jordan is a very durable player with 41 straight starts from 2016 to 2018 and projected to be selected in Round Two of the draft.
The NFL is proof that some first-round draft players do not live up to their draft round. Some do very well in college and get to the NFL and simply can’t adjust to the rules or the speed of the game. It can be a risky game of choice for the coaches, scouts and managers to predict who will be the best player. Injuries, which can occur during training camp, preseason or the regular season can ruin or at the very least, delay an otherwise excellent career.
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