The Baltimore Ravens entered the postseason with the best record in the NFL, but this offseason is full of question marks leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Baltimore traded back into the seventh round to land Andrew Vorhees a year ago, so the Ravens do not own their 2024 sixth-round choice as part of the trade. However, they do have the Jets’ seventh-round selection from the March 2023 Chuck Clark trade.
Some contributors from the 2023 campaign have already had their contracts voided, likely signaling an end to their time with the Ravens. Kevin Zeitler, Gus Edwards, Geno Stone and Rock Ya-Sin will all count as dead money on the 2024 salary cap, but more importantly, open up some holes at some key positions.
There are other areas of concern as well. Baltimore needs to make decisions on the contract situations of Marlon Humphrey and Ronnie Stanley. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jadevon Clowney were both important free-agent signings but are pending free agents. Patrick Queen is all but gone with the phenomenal Roquan Smith signed long term.
As such, the Ravens have a lot of holes to fill this offseason.
Eric DeCosta and his predecessor Ozzie Newsome have been huge advocates of gaining extra selections through compensatory picks, and the Ravens should earn one more draft pick with Ben Powers leaving via free agency last offseason. It is expected that Baltimore will land an additional fourth-round pick.
Let’s predict three players at each draft slot that could be in a Ravens uniform following the 2024 NFL Draft.
Round 1, No. 30
Option 1: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
Option 2: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
Option 3: Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri
Round 2, No. 62
Option 1: Michael Hall Jr., DL, Ohio State
Option 2: Brandon Dorlus, EDGE, Oregon
Option 3: Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
Round 3, No. 93
Option 1: Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri
Option 2: Dominick Puni, OL, Kansas
Option 3: Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
Round 4, No. 130
Option 1: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
Option 2: Dillon Johnson, RB, Washington
Option 3: Zak Zinter, OG, Michigan
Round 5, No. 163
Option 1: Cam Hart, CB, Michigan
Option 2: Justin Eboigbe, DL, Alabama
Option 3: Javion Cohen, OL, Miami
Round 7, No. 225 — via New York Jets
Option 1: Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor
Option 2: Joe Milton, QB, Tennessee
Option 3: Andrew Raym, OL, Oklahoma
Round 7, No. 247
Option 1: Jordan Magee, LB, Temple
Option 2: Jordan Strachan, EDGE, South Carolina
Option 3: Marcus Harris, DT, Auburn
Notes:
The Ravens like to follow their board and select the best player available, but there are three glaring needs that must be addressed in this draft: offensive linemen, cornerback and pass rusher. Other needs include wide receiver and running back, and some depth at linebacker and along the defensive line never hurts. Most of the picks reflect that.
You’ll notice Michigan, Washington and Missouri quite a bit in my picks. Michigan has 18 players invited to the NFL Scouting Combine this week, the most in combine history. Washington is second this year with 13, while Missouri has eight players attending the annual event.
I’ve done two mock drafts thus far. The first mock draft had the Ravens selecting Ennis Rakestraw Jr., the talented cornerback from Missouri. My latest mock has Baltimore drafting Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu. I wouldn’t rule out a defensive end here, but it’s hard to imagine another receiver selected in the first round with all the other needs on offense.
I love the talent available in the second round, but historically speaking, the Ravens have not had much success with their second-round choices. There will be plenty of receivers, defensive lineman and corners still available in this range, which makes me think offensive line makes the most sense in the first round. Offensive line is extremely talented in this draft class and the Ravens essentially have questions marks up front outside of Tyler Linderbaum.
With Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill as the only two running backs on the roster, it makes sense for the Ravens to look for someone in the third or fourth. There are a plethora of talented running backs who will be available in free agency as well, and the Ravens have seen firsthand how important it is to stack as much talent as possible at that position.
Joe Milton is a later-round developmental quarterback the Ravens can stash on their practice squad. I raved about Malik Cunningham in the later rounds last season, and while the Ravens did not draft him, he is the only quarterback on the current roster outside of Lamar Jackson. Milton is a similar talent if Baltimore wants to develop another player of the same skill set.
What do you think of this Ravens mock draft?
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics