Saturday, May 26, 2012
STATE OF THE RAVENS DEFENSE
The last 4 seasons both spoiled and tortured Ravens fans. On the one hand, the Ravens were the only team that went to the playoffs in each of the last 4 seasons, and Flacco became the winningest quarterback in NFL history through the first four seasons of a career. Flacco has also won at least one playoff game in each of his 4 seasons in the league, which is more than the vast majority of quarterbacks can say. On the other hand, however, this consistent success has frustrated fans to no end as the Ravens have come painfully close to getting to the Superbowl twice, and both of their AFC Championship losses were hard-fought games that ended up being decided by one or two major 4th quarter plays. What made it even worse is that both AFC Championship losses came at the hands of the teams that Ravens fans and players alike hate with every bone in their respective bodies: THE STEELERS AND THE PATRIOTS.
During the last two seasons the Ravens defense has had to overcome the loss of its two greatest leaders for significant chunks of time. Two years ago Ed Reed missed 6 games, and last season Ray Lewis missed 4. Despite occasional criticism that Ray Lewis has become too slow and that Ed Reed no longer consistently tackles with his body, the Ravens defense performed better with both future hall-of-famers back in pads. After missing 6 games in 2010, Ed Reed led the NFL in interceptions despite his lengthy absence. Ray Lewis had an uneven 2011 season, but shined in the AFC Championship and even performed brilliantly in pass coverage against the NFL's best pass offense. Lewis, despite his age, is the main reason that the Ravens' defense has remained dominant for over a decade. His leadership, instincts, and experience compensate for decreases in speed over the last 5-6 years.
The Ravens will face a new challenge in 2012 that no one could have anticipated. The 2011 Defensive Player of the Year (Terrell Suggs) tore his achilles tendon a day after Ozzie Newsome drafted the player (Courtney Upshaw) who will most likely act as his replacement during the rehabilitation process. Anyone disappointed that the Ravens were not able to draft Donta Hightower as Ray Lewis' ultimate replacement should rethink their disappointment since Upshaw will almost certainly immediately fill an enormous void in the linebacker corps left by Suggs or possibly on the other side by Jarret Johnson.
Terrell Suggs is feared across the league as a powerful pass-rusher and a dominant run-stopper. Upshaw likely won't perform to Suggs' level in his rookie season, but that doesn't mean the Ravens defense will take a massive statistical dive. Possibly the biggest factor that will allow the Ravens to continue to generate a ferocious pass rush is the emergence of the Ravens secondary. Not too long ago, Ravens fans cringed and whined about the performances of Dominique Foxworth, Fabian Washington, Frank Walker, and occasionally Dawan Landry.
Those days, however, seem like ancient history after the 2011 season. Lardarius Webb is currently one of the AFC's elite cornerbacks, Cary Williams performed at a high level for most of the season, and Jimmy Smith showed in the playoffs why the Ravens were justified in picking him in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. The Ravens displayed plenty of depth at corner as Danny Gorer and Chykie Brown provided excellent coverage when subbing in for the starters. The Ravens also replaced Dawan Landry with an even more intense strong safety, Bernard Pollard A.K.A the Angry Man. Pollard's devastating hits provide the perfect compliment with Ed Reed's coverage and ball-hawking skills.
Now what does all of this talent, physicality, and experience in the secondary mean for the Ravens defense? The answer is rather simple: the Ravens will be able to blitz with more players because they will trust the secondary to be able to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and provide enough coverage to give defensive linemen and linebackers adequate time to get to opposing quarterbacks before the ball is released. Quarterbacks were already incredibly wary of throwing the ball over the middle with #20 lurking in the backfield, but now they won't be able to pick on bad or inexperienced cornerbacks. Quarterbacks may very well avoid throwing to Lardarius Webb's side of the field much the way that they avoid throwing in Ed Reed's direction after Webby had 5 spectacular interceptions during the regular season as well as a very Reed-like 3 interceptions during the playoffs. Webb, as a matter of fact, did not allow a touchdown during the entire 2011 season!!
Assuming the secondary has another stellar season in 2012, the young defensive linemen and linebackers will need to step up and bully their way through opposing offensive lines. Luckily, the Ravens had almost 50 regular season sacks last year and only 14 of them came from Suggs. Obviously 14 is a LOT of sacks for one player, but it means that the rest of defensive players, including young standouts such as Paul Kruger and Pernell McPhee, are making a rather significant collective contribution of 34 sacks. The previous year the Ravens totalled 27 sacks and 9 of them came from Suggs...so let's think of the 2011 season as a giant leap forward in pass-rushing.
It's difficult to predict just how much of an impact Suggs' absence will have on the Ravens or how well Upshaw will perform in his place. Will McPhee and Kruger get to quarterbacks as easily without Suggs occupying the blocks of 2-3 opposing linemen? Will Sergio Kindle finally get a chance to become the pass-rusher that we thought he would be? These all have yet to be seen, but the solidified elite Ravens secondary will certainly allow the new defensive coordinator Dean Pees to send more blitzers on passing downs to generate pressure without the 2012 Defensive Player of the Year. Let us also not forget that the true defensive coordinator (#52) will still be on the field. Players and coordinators come and go, but somehow Ray has kept the Ravens defense elite for over a decade no matter who he's surrounded by, and we shouldn't expect 2012 to be any different. As always, GO RAVENS!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
RAVENS DRAFT ANALYSIS PT. 2
Let's dive right back into the draft analysis:
CHRISTIAN THOMPSON, FS- This pick is much better than I think most fans probably assume. Christian Thompson has already been mentored by Ed Reed for months now, and that gives him a huge advantage over most other safeties in this draft. Lardarius Webb has been mentored by Ed Reed for the last few years, and the ball hawking star corner attributes his recent explosion of production to Ed Reed's teaching. Thompson not only has the benefit of guidance from the greatest free safety of all time, he also has the physical talent to help convert the knowledge he gains into big plays on the field. Thompson ran the fastest 40 time of any safety at the combine (4.50), and he bench pressed 18 reps with 225, which was the same number as Peter Konz (kinda glad the Ravens didn't pick him, by the way). Thompson has good enough size to cover most receivers in the NFL (6'0", 211 pounds), and he tackles well against the pass. He doesn't have the experience against tough competition that a top rated safety such as Mark Baron or Harrison Smith possesses, but he has the speed and athleticism to contribute immediately on special teams, and I have a strong hunch that it won't take long for him to turn into another Webb under the tutelage of number 20.
ASA JACKSON, CB- Jackson's combine stats are just a hair better than Christian Thompson's in a couple of notable ways. He ran his official 40 in 4.49 seconds and performed 19 reps with 225 pounds despite weighing 20 pounds less than Thompson. Asa Jackson is 5'10 and 191 pounds, and he also comes from a small school, Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Jackson will certainly add to the already fairly deep pool of Ravens corner backs, but he was most likely selected to serve as a return specialist to spare the knee ligaments of Lardarius Webb. At least for now, punt and kick returner would be a great job for Jackson. His highlights show him to have good down-field vision and hands as he turns interceptions and forced fumbles into long runs: ASA JACKSON HIGHLIGHTS. Jackson also displays some impressive tackling intensity for a guy who weighs under 200 pounds. This is a solid 5th round pick and helps to fill a special teams need.
TOMMY STREETER, WR- This pick made me more pumped and excited than just about any 6th round pick initially ever has. I had clamored for months that the Ravens should go out and get Stephen Hill because of his blinding speed and height. I talked about what a tall deep threat could do for an offense that already has a quarterback with one of the strongest arms in football and one of the best young deep threats in the NFL. In hindsight, taking Stephen Hill with the Ravens' first pick would have been risky even though it may have ultimately been quite productive. Hill had limited experience in college with only 29 catches, and he probably wouldn't have been able to contribute immediately. Courtney Upshaw, on the other hand will most likely be able to contribute from the start. Tommy Streeter also may not be an immediate contributor....BUT THE RAVENS SNAGGED HIM IN THE 6TH ROUND!!! It doesn't matter that Streeter may not an immediate impact player because he was such a low risk, late pick. He did drop some passes at the combine, but he caught plenty more in actual games last year as a starting wideout for the Miami Hurricanes. Take a look at some of his most impressive moments: TOMMY STREETER HIGHLIGHTS. Streeter almost as fast as Hill and even an inch taller at 6'5". As you can see, he gets behind defenses and catches passes that are far too high for a corner to reach. He ran his official combine 40 in 4.40 seconds, which is right on par with Torrey Smith's from 2011. Streeter fills a Ravens need for a speedy, big bodied receiver, and there are no longer any notable free agents of that kind on the market. I don't think it'll be long before Touchdown Tommy becomes a household name in the greater Baltimore area.
DEANGELO TYSON, DL- Taking a defensive lineman in the final round of the draft wasn't a total shock to me as the Ravens lost Cory Redding and Brandon McKinney in free agency to the Chuck Pagano and the Colts. Tyson is an impressive physical specimen at 6'2", 315 pounds. He ran his 40 yard dash in an impressive 5.0 seconds and bench pressed a strong 30 reps of 225 pounds. Tyson has a good work ethic to compliment his athleticism and strength. His work ethic will most likely be a huge factor in his role with the team. This pick isn't a huge steal, but it's solid and addresses depth concerns left by departed veterans.
PURPLE NIGHTMARE'S OVERALL DRAFT GRADE
I don't think you can please everyone in any given year with a draft. A draft is about choosing a handful of players from a group of hundreds. Eric DeCosta remarked this morning on 105.7 that there was similar criticism from fans after the 2007 draft when the Ravens picked Ben Grubbs, Le'Ron McClain, and Marshall Yanda among others. DeCosta pointed out, however, that all three of the aforementioned picks subsequently became pro-bowlers...think about that for a second. The 2011 draft proved better than expected as Pernell McPhee turned out to be a total monster on the field and Torrey Smith, despite heavy early criticism, set a franchise rookie record and led the team with 7 receiving touchdowns. I would argue that many fans are so worried, hurt, and offended by the Ravens trading out of the first round that they will criticize just about anyone that Ozzie chooses from the second round on. Many fans also get nervous and cringe every time a good player is picked by another team.
If you are one of those people who panicked just because the Patriots got Donta Hightower or because the Steelers got David DeCastro, please understand that Ravens cannot pick all of the players you want in the draft. There are far too many college programs and players that come out of them for the average fan to be truly aware of all of the talent in the draft. Most fans become immediately enamored with players from big football schools whose games are widely televised. Sometimes being a part of a good program will seriously maximize a player's NFL potential from a developmental standpoint. Sometimes, however, a big name player looked good during college BECAUSE he was a part of a great college system and may have been surrounded by talented teammates and intelligent coaches. In those cases, that player that you pined after and cursed your team for not picking up ultimately ends up being a total bust.
The bottom line is that the Ravens are great evaluators of individual talent and potential. They're able to put players into the context of the system they played in during college and determine how they'll fit into the Ravens' scheme. I'm quite confident that the Ravens picked the best available player in each round that filled a need on their roster. I still trust in Ozzie, and I think his patience is what makes him contrast so starkly with whoever it is that was responsible for mortgaging the Redskins' draft future away for the next few years simply to move up 4 spots in the first round. Please note that I'm not saying that RG3 won't be a great player, but please think about what they gave up to move up FOUR SPOTS IN THE FIRST ROUND!!
Anyway, Upshaw was a steal in the second round, Osemele and Gradkowski are both safer and less risky picks than the injury-prone Peter Konz, Pierce will be a good #2 behind Ray Rice even if he was picked a round too early, Thompson will add speed and depth behind Ed Reed, Jackson will provide a boost to special teams, Tommy Streeter could reveal himself to be a total draft gem sooner than many might think, and Tyson could see some playing time with his work ethic and intensity.
I give the 2012 Ravens draft a solid A overall for adding talent and physicality in every position of need on their team without taking huge, costly risks. As always GO RAVENS!!!
CHRISTIAN THOMPSON, FS- This pick is much better than I think most fans probably assume. Christian Thompson has already been mentored by Ed Reed for months now, and that gives him a huge advantage over most other safeties in this draft. Lardarius Webb has been mentored by Ed Reed for the last few years, and the ball hawking star corner attributes his recent explosion of production to Ed Reed's teaching. Thompson not only has the benefit of guidance from the greatest free safety of all time, he also has the physical talent to help convert the knowledge he gains into big plays on the field. Thompson ran the fastest 40 time of any safety at the combine (4.50), and he bench pressed 18 reps with 225, which was the same number as Peter Konz (kinda glad the Ravens didn't pick him, by the way). Thompson has good enough size to cover most receivers in the NFL (6'0", 211 pounds), and he tackles well against the pass. He doesn't have the experience against tough competition that a top rated safety such as Mark Baron or Harrison Smith possesses, but he has the speed and athleticism to contribute immediately on special teams, and I have a strong hunch that it won't take long for him to turn into another Webb under the tutelage of number 20.
ASA JACKSON, CB- Jackson's combine stats are just a hair better than Christian Thompson's in a couple of notable ways. He ran his official 40 in 4.49 seconds and performed 19 reps with 225 pounds despite weighing 20 pounds less than Thompson. Asa Jackson is 5'10 and 191 pounds, and he also comes from a small school, Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Jackson will certainly add to the already fairly deep pool of Ravens corner backs, but he was most likely selected to serve as a return specialist to spare the knee ligaments of Lardarius Webb. At least for now, punt and kick returner would be a great job for Jackson. His highlights show him to have good down-field vision and hands as he turns interceptions and forced fumbles into long runs: ASA JACKSON HIGHLIGHTS. Jackson also displays some impressive tackling intensity for a guy who weighs under 200 pounds. This is a solid 5th round pick and helps to fill a special teams need.
TOMMY STREETER, WR- This pick made me more pumped and excited than just about any 6th round pick initially ever has. I had clamored for months that the Ravens should go out and get Stephen Hill because of his blinding speed and height. I talked about what a tall deep threat could do for an offense that already has a quarterback with one of the strongest arms in football and one of the best young deep threats in the NFL. In hindsight, taking Stephen Hill with the Ravens' first pick would have been risky even though it may have ultimately been quite productive. Hill had limited experience in college with only 29 catches, and he probably wouldn't have been able to contribute immediately. Courtney Upshaw, on the other hand will most likely be able to contribute from the start. Tommy Streeter also may not be an immediate contributor....BUT THE RAVENS SNAGGED HIM IN THE 6TH ROUND!!! It doesn't matter that Streeter may not an immediate impact player because he was such a low risk, late pick. He did drop some passes at the combine, but he caught plenty more in actual games last year as a starting wideout for the Miami Hurricanes. Take a look at some of his most impressive moments: TOMMY STREETER HIGHLIGHTS. Streeter almost as fast as Hill and even an inch taller at 6'5". As you can see, he gets behind defenses and catches passes that are far too high for a corner to reach. He ran his official combine 40 in 4.40 seconds, which is right on par with Torrey Smith's from 2011. Streeter fills a Ravens need for a speedy, big bodied receiver, and there are no longer any notable free agents of that kind on the market. I don't think it'll be long before Touchdown Tommy becomes a household name in the greater Baltimore area.
DEANGELO TYSON, DL- Taking a defensive lineman in the final round of the draft wasn't a total shock to me as the Ravens lost Cory Redding and Brandon McKinney in free agency to the Chuck Pagano and the Colts. Tyson is an impressive physical specimen at 6'2", 315 pounds. He ran his 40 yard dash in an impressive 5.0 seconds and bench pressed a strong 30 reps of 225 pounds. Tyson has a good work ethic to compliment his athleticism and strength. His work ethic will most likely be a huge factor in his role with the team. This pick isn't a huge steal, but it's solid and addresses depth concerns left by departed veterans.
PURPLE NIGHTMARE'S OVERALL DRAFT GRADE
I don't think you can please everyone in any given year with a draft. A draft is about choosing a handful of players from a group of hundreds. Eric DeCosta remarked this morning on 105.7 that there was similar criticism from fans after the 2007 draft when the Ravens picked Ben Grubbs, Le'Ron McClain, and Marshall Yanda among others. DeCosta pointed out, however, that all three of the aforementioned picks subsequently became pro-bowlers...think about that for a second. The 2011 draft proved better than expected as Pernell McPhee turned out to be a total monster on the field and Torrey Smith, despite heavy early criticism, set a franchise rookie record and led the team with 7 receiving touchdowns. I would argue that many fans are so worried, hurt, and offended by the Ravens trading out of the first round that they will criticize just about anyone that Ozzie chooses from the second round on. Many fans also get nervous and cringe every time a good player is picked by another team.
If you are one of those people who panicked just because the Patriots got Donta Hightower or because the Steelers got David DeCastro, please understand that Ravens cannot pick all of the players you want in the draft. There are far too many college programs and players that come out of them for the average fan to be truly aware of all of the talent in the draft. Most fans become immediately enamored with players from big football schools whose games are widely televised. Sometimes being a part of a good program will seriously maximize a player's NFL potential from a developmental standpoint. Sometimes, however, a big name player looked good during college BECAUSE he was a part of a great college system and may have been surrounded by talented teammates and intelligent coaches. In those cases, that player that you pined after and cursed your team for not picking up ultimately ends up being a total bust.
The bottom line is that the Ravens are great evaluators of individual talent and potential. They're able to put players into the context of the system they played in during college and determine how they'll fit into the Ravens' scheme. I'm quite confident that the Ravens picked the best available player in each round that filled a need on their roster. I still trust in Ozzie, and I think his patience is what makes him contrast so starkly with whoever it is that was responsible for mortgaging the Redskins' draft future away for the next few years simply to move up 4 spots in the first round. Please note that I'm not saying that RG3 won't be a great player, but please think about what they gave up to move up FOUR SPOTS IN THE FIRST ROUND!!
Anyway, Upshaw was a steal in the second round, Osemele and Gradkowski are both safer and less risky picks than the injury-prone Peter Konz, Pierce will be a good #2 behind Ray Rice even if he was picked a round too early, Thompson will add speed and depth behind Ed Reed, Jackson will provide a boost to special teams, Tommy Streeter could reveal himself to be a total draft gem sooner than many might think, and Tyson could see some playing time with his work ethic and intensity.
I give the 2012 Ravens draft a solid A overall for adding talent and physicality in every position of need on their team without taking huge, costly risks. As always GO RAVENS!!!
Monday, April 30, 2012
RAVENS DRAFT ANALYSIS PT.1
LET'S FIRST SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ABOUT OZZIE
If you listened to 105.7 The Fan after the first 5 rounds of the draft this weekend, you most likely heard an endless line of armchair GM's talking about what a disappointment the 2012 draft was for the Baltimore Ravens. I heard one caller whining about the fact that the Ravens had not drafted a wide receiver (they did 15 minutes later) and he complained that they should have traded up to get Donta Hightower and then taken Peter Konz in the second round. I heard one caller complaining that Ozzie was overrated as a general manager. This caller stated that Ozzie is good at picking pro-bowlers, but that he doesn't draft the right players at the right positions that would really push the Ravens over the AFC Championship hump and into the Superbowl. This particular caller wondered what it was that the Patriots, Steelers, and Giants were doing that the Ravens weren't.
While I do wish that the Ravens would have gone to and won the Superbowl in 2011, I also am not so shortsighted as to think that the Ravens drafting is what has held them back. On the contrary, the players that the Ravens drafted over the years were the reason that the Ravens did as well as they did in the AFC Championship. Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, and Ed Reed played out of their minds and didn't allow the 2011 PATRIOTS TO SCORE A SINGLE PASSING TD, Ray Lewis looked good in pass coverage for a change and prevented a Wes Welker touchdown, Torrey Smith lit up the field with his speed, and Joe Flacco outplayed Tom Brady!
The players who ultimately let the team down were free agents, not draft picks. Lee Evans couldn't hold on to a perfect touchdown pass, and even more embarrassing, Billy Cundiff immortalized his last name into a verb by Cundiffing (heh heh) what would have been a game tying field goal to send the Ravens and Pats into overtime. Ozzie isn't perfect, but the last thing anyone can accuse him of is drafting poorly. He sometimes picks up disappointing free agent wide receivers (Stallworth, Houshmadzadeh, Evans) but he has also picked up some that proved to be quite good (Boldin, Mason). Bottom line: The Ravens are a great team and a big reason they are great is the draft, so STOP WHINING, BALTIMOREANS! Ok, got that out of my system. On to the draft picks!!
DRAFT ANALYSIS
I can honestly say that I wasn't worried after the Ravens traded out of the first round of the draft. Hightower had been picked up by the Patriots, but plenty of players originally projected as first round picks still remained on the board, and the Ravens had the 3rd pick in the second round. I wanted the Ravens to draft Stephen Hill as I stated in previous posts, but I also wanted and expected them to draft Courtney Upshaw. With that, let's get right into the Ravens' first pick of the 2012 draft:
COURTNEY UPSHAW, OLB- This Alabama has already been described by pundits as one of the best steals of the draft. This is entirely accurate as he was top 20 talent that fell to the Ravens in the second round after a fair number of teams made some headscratching decisions with their first round picks (yes Brandon Weeden and David Wilson...YOU ARE HORRIBLE MISTAKES!). And despite the fact that Donta Hightower could have become Ray Lewis' ultimate successor, Upshaw actually fills a bigger hole in the roster for the upcoming season. With the departure of Jaret Johnson, the Ravens needed a physical outside linebacker who can stop the run and terrorize QBs. They got exactly such a replacement in Courtney Upshaw. Sure, he has a girl's first name, but it'll only be that much funnier when Ben Roethlisberger gets physically dominated by someone with a girl's name for the sake of poetic justice. If you live under a rock and only just emerged, you may be one of the small number of people who haven't seen Upshaw play. Do yourself a favor and watch his highlights here: Courtney Upshaw Highlights.
KELECHE OSEMELE, G/T- I must admit that I hadn't paid as much attention to this impressive athlete before he was drafted at the end of the second round. I anticipated the Ravens going after Kevin Zeitler, but the Bengals snatched him up knowing full well that the Ravens wanted him. Osemele may prove just as useful as Zeitler since he has the longest arms of any offensive lineman in the draft, bench pressed the same number of reps as Zeitler (32), ran the 40 yard dash a hair faster than Zeitler, as well as a slightly better broad jump. On top of all of that, the Ravens got Osemele close to the end of the second round instead of end of the first round as the Bengals did with Zeitler. Osemele will most likely compete with Jah Reid for the start left guard spot, and will provide the versatility to step in if Marshall yanda or Michael Oher gets injured. This guy is a big, physical replacement for Ben Grubbs, and with his size, strength, quickness, and length, he'll be a big help in the Ravens' rushing attack.
BERNARD PIERCE, RB- I was surprised to see the Ravens take a running back in the 3rd round, and I initially thought that they should have gone after a wide receiver. I then considered that the Ravens lost Ray Rice's backup when Ricky Williams retired not long ago, and I can understand their hesitation to give a former seventh round pick (Anthony Allen) the back up spot without some competition from a more talented back. Pierce didn't have the best track speed of the combine (4.50 forty yard dash), but he displays impressive quickness with good speed burst and enough power to break through tackles. Give him an off-season in the weight room with Ray and the boys and we've got our new backup. Take a look at his highlights: Bernard Pierce Highlights
GINO GRADKOWSKI, C/G- I heard reports that Gradkowski was high on the draft boards of the Patriots and Steelers as well as the Ravens. So much attention was paid to Konz that few seemed to consider the possibility that the Ravens would choose a different center later in the draft. I like this pick a lot. The Ravens just resigned Matt Birk's decaying corpse for another short contract, so it would be stupid to use a first round draft pick on a player that wouldn't have to immediately step in and play. And yes I know that Konz may have been able to play guard as well, but he had injury concerns and that's not something I like to hear about a potential Ravens first round pick. Gradkowski ran a 5.25 forty yard dash and displayed better upper body strength than Konz with 29 reps on the bench. He'll need to add some muscle, but as he won't be an immediate starter, he has some time to develop behind Birk.
THIS DRAFT ANALYSIS WILL BE CONTINUED TOMORROW
AS ALWAYS, GO RAVENS!!
If you listened to 105.7 The Fan after the first 5 rounds of the draft this weekend, you most likely heard an endless line of armchair GM's talking about what a disappointment the 2012 draft was for the Baltimore Ravens. I heard one caller whining about the fact that the Ravens had not drafted a wide receiver (they did 15 minutes later) and he complained that they should have traded up to get Donta Hightower and then taken Peter Konz in the second round. I heard one caller complaining that Ozzie was overrated as a general manager. This caller stated that Ozzie is good at picking pro-bowlers, but that he doesn't draft the right players at the right positions that would really push the Ravens over the AFC Championship hump and into the Superbowl. This particular caller wondered what it was that the Patriots, Steelers, and Giants were doing that the Ravens weren't.
While I do wish that the Ravens would have gone to and won the Superbowl in 2011, I also am not so shortsighted as to think that the Ravens drafting is what has held them back. On the contrary, the players that the Ravens drafted over the years were the reason that the Ravens did as well as they did in the AFC Championship. Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, and Ed Reed played out of their minds and didn't allow the 2011 PATRIOTS TO SCORE A SINGLE PASSING TD, Ray Lewis looked good in pass coverage for a change and prevented a Wes Welker touchdown, Torrey Smith lit up the field with his speed, and Joe Flacco outplayed Tom Brady!
The players who ultimately let the team down were free agents, not draft picks. Lee Evans couldn't hold on to a perfect touchdown pass, and even more embarrassing, Billy Cundiff immortalized his last name into a verb by Cundiffing (heh heh) what would have been a game tying field goal to send the Ravens and Pats into overtime. Ozzie isn't perfect, but the last thing anyone can accuse him of is drafting poorly. He sometimes picks up disappointing free agent wide receivers (Stallworth, Houshmadzadeh, Evans) but he has also picked up some that proved to be quite good (Boldin, Mason). Bottom line: The Ravens are a great team and a big reason they are great is the draft, so STOP WHINING, BALTIMOREANS! Ok, got that out of my system. On to the draft picks!!
DRAFT ANALYSIS
I can honestly say that I wasn't worried after the Ravens traded out of the first round of the draft. Hightower had been picked up by the Patriots, but plenty of players originally projected as first round picks still remained on the board, and the Ravens had the 3rd pick in the second round. I wanted the Ravens to draft Stephen Hill as I stated in previous posts, but I also wanted and expected them to draft Courtney Upshaw. With that, let's get right into the Ravens' first pick of the 2012 draft:
COURTNEY UPSHAW, OLB- This Alabama has already been described by pundits as one of the best steals of the draft. This is entirely accurate as he was top 20 talent that fell to the Ravens in the second round after a fair number of teams made some headscratching decisions with their first round picks (yes Brandon Weeden and David Wilson...YOU ARE HORRIBLE MISTAKES!). And despite the fact that Donta Hightower could have become Ray Lewis' ultimate successor, Upshaw actually fills a bigger hole in the roster for the upcoming season. With the departure of Jaret Johnson, the Ravens needed a physical outside linebacker who can stop the run and terrorize QBs. They got exactly such a replacement in Courtney Upshaw. Sure, he has a girl's first name, but it'll only be that much funnier when Ben Roethlisberger gets physically dominated by someone with a girl's name for the sake of poetic justice. If you live under a rock and only just emerged, you may be one of the small number of people who haven't seen Upshaw play. Do yourself a favor and watch his highlights here: Courtney Upshaw Highlights.
KELECHE OSEMELE, G/T- I must admit that I hadn't paid as much attention to this impressive athlete before he was drafted at the end of the second round. I anticipated the Ravens going after Kevin Zeitler, but the Bengals snatched him up knowing full well that the Ravens wanted him. Osemele may prove just as useful as Zeitler since he has the longest arms of any offensive lineman in the draft, bench pressed the same number of reps as Zeitler (32), ran the 40 yard dash a hair faster than Zeitler, as well as a slightly better broad jump. On top of all of that, the Ravens got Osemele close to the end of the second round instead of end of the first round as the Bengals did with Zeitler. Osemele will most likely compete with Jah Reid for the start left guard spot, and will provide the versatility to step in if Marshall yanda or Michael Oher gets injured. This guy is a big, physical replacement for Ben Grubbs, and with his size, strength, quickness, and length, he'll be a big help in the Ravens' rushing attack.
BERNARD PIERCE, RB- I was surprised to see the Ravens take a running back in the 3rd round, and I initially thought that they should have gone after a wide receiver. I then considered that the Ravens lost Ray Rice's backup when Ricky Williams retired not long ago, and I can understand their hesitation to give a former seventh round pick (Anthony Allen) the back up spot without some competition from a more talented back. Pierce didn't have the best track speed of the combine (4.50 forty yard dash), but he displays impressive quickness with good speed burst and enough power to break through tackles. Give him an off-season in the weight room with Ray and the boys and we've got our new backup. Take a look at his highlights: Bernard Pierce Highlights
GINO GRADKOWSKI, C/G- I heard reports that Gradkowski was high on the draft boards of the Patriots and Steelers as well as the Ravens. So much attention was paid to Konz that few seemed to consider the possibility that the Ravens would choose a different center later in the draft. I like this pick a lot. The Ravens just resigned Matt Birk's decaying corpse for another short contract, so it would be stupid to use a first round draft pick on a player that wouldn't have to immediately step in and play. And yes I know that Konz may have been able to play guard as well, but he had injury concerns and that's not something I like to hear about a potential Ravens first round pick. Gradkowski ran a 5.25 forty yard dash and displayed better upper body strength than Konz with 29 reps on the bench. He'll need to add some muscle, but as he won't be an immediate starter, he has some time to develop behind Birk.
THIS DRAFT ANALYSIS WILL BE CONTINUED TOMORROW
AS ALWAYS, GO RAVENS!!
Friday, April 27, 2012
REACTION TO THE FIRST ROUND
The first round of the 2012 draft went exactly as predicted early in the round. Andrew Luck went to the Colts, RG3 went to the Redskins, and Trent Richardson went to the Browns. After that, however, the draft was chock full-o-surprises. Exactly half of the 32 draft picks were traded in some fashion or another over the course of the night, and Roger Goodell dapped up Melvin Ingram with a rather elaborate handshake that suggested that someone in the NFL doesn't ACTUALLY HATE HIM!
For many Ravens fans, however, the first round of the draft may have been frustrating. The Patriots, in a rather uncharacteristic move for their organization, traded up to snag Donta Hightower before the Ravens would have almost certainly picked him in hopes of grooming Ray Lewis' ultimate successor. The Ravens then traded away the 29th pick of the first round for the 3rd pick of the second round and an additional 4th round pick. I understand the feeling of waiting over two hours to see who your team will acquire only to realize that you won't know until the following evening. The initial feeling isn't fun.
I, however, wasn't hoping the Ravens would pick Donta Hightower. He would have been a great pick-up and I'm sure he'll be trouble for the Ravens when they face the Patriots in week three this season. Nevertheless, if you followed my posts regarding the draft, you know exactly what I feel the priorities of this organization should be right now. Still on the board are Peter Konz, Cordy Glenn, Courtney Upshaw, Stephen Hill, and Rueben Randle. I firmly believe that the Ravens should draft Upshaw with their first pick and then trade the additional 4th round pick that they acquired from the Vikings last night and use it to move their second pick higher in order to secure Stephen Hill.
Consider for a moment how the Ravens fared at the end of the season. Dropped passes and an inability to bring pressure late in the season and in the playoffs left the Ravens losing to a team that they came about one inch away from beating. Now picture the Ravens with another high-motor physical pass rusher opposite Suggs bearing down on Tom Brady. Picture Torrey Smith lined up opposite an even faster deep threat wide receiver whose height and vertical leaping ability make him incredibly challenging to defend. In an increasingly pass-driven league, there are few pieces more valuable than talented wide receivers and pass rushers. Also, when Joe Flacco's cannon of an arm, it would seem fitting to have multiple targets that can get behind secondaries and catch his deep bombs. The point is that both Stephen Hill and Courtney Upshaw will likely be upgrades over Lee Evans and Jaret Johnson (I know JJ was a great run-stopper but Upshaw can stop the run and terrorize QBs).
At this point, I'm sure there are plenty of readers who would like to bring up the issue of the Ravens' offensive line. The Ravens just lost Ben Grubbs in free agency and plan to give a second year natural right tackle the chance to earn the left tackle spot. I wouldn't be unhappy if the Ravens took Cordy Glenn or Peter Konz with one of their second round picks, but I don't believe that Konz and Glenn would be an upgrade over the player they're replacing, and I'm fairly certain that the Ravens have a decent amount of faith in Jah Reid. Also, I KNOW the Ravens would regret passing on a wide receiver with a combination of height, speed, and athleticism reminiscent of a young Randy Moss. Yes, I know he's not Randy Moss, but like Moss, Stephen Hill is blindingly fast with great hands and stands 6'4". This could be the missing piece to push Flacco's production well beyond the 4000 yard mark!
Just some food for thought. Tune in to ESPN tonight at 8:00 to see who the Ravens pick in the 2nd and 3rd rounds! As always GO RAVENS!!!
For many Ravens fans, however, the first round of the draft may have been frustrating. The Patriots, in a rather uncharacteristic move for their organization, traded up to snag Donta Hightower before the Ravens would have almost certainly picked him in hopes of grooming Ray Lewis' ultimate successor. The Ravens then traded away the 29th pick of the first round for the 3rd pick of the second round and an additional 4th round pick. I understand the feeling of waiting over two hours to see who your team will acquire only to realize that you won't know until the following evening. The initial feeling isn't fun.
I, however, wasn't hoping the Ravens would pick Donta Hightower. He would have been a great pick-up and I'm sure he'll be trouble for the Ravens when they face the Patriots in week three this season. Nevertheless, if you followed my posts regarding the draft, you know exactly what I feel the priorities of this organization should be right now. Still on the board are Peter Konz, Cordy Glenn, Courtney Upshaw, Stephen Hill, and Rueben Randle. I firmly believe that the Ravens should draft Upshaw with their first pick and then trade the additional 4th round pick that they acquired from the Vikings last night and use it to move their second pick higher in order to secure Stephen Hill.
Consider for a moment how the Ravens fared at the end of the season. Dropped passes and an inability to bring pressure late in the season and in the playoffs left the Ravens losing to a team that they came about one inch away from beating. Now picture the Ravens with another high-motor physical pass rusher opposite Suggs bearing down on Tom Brady. Picture Torrey Smith lined up opposite an even faster deep threat wide receiver whose height and vertical leaping ability make him incredibly challenging to defend. In an increasingly pass-driven league, there are few pieces more valuable than talented wide receivers and pass rushers. Also, when Joe Flacco's cannon of an arm, it would seem fitting to have multiple targets that can get behind secondaries and catch his deep bombs. The point is that both Stephen Hill and Courtney Upshaw will likely be upgrades over Lee Evans and Jaret Johnson (I know JJ was a great run-stopper but Upshaw can stop the run and terrorize QBs).
At this point, I'm sure there are plenty of readers who would like to bring up the issue of the Ravens' offensive line. The Ravens just lost Ben Grubbs in free agency and plan to give a second year natural right tackle the chance to earn the left tackle spot. I wouldn't be unhappy if the Ravens took Cordy Glenn or Peter Konz with one of their second round picks, but I don't believe that Konz and Glenn would be an upgrade over the player they're replacing, and I'm fairly certain that the Ravens have a decent amount of faith in Jah Reid. Also, I KNOW the Ravens would regret passing on a wide receiver with a combination of height, speed, and athleticism reminiscent of a young Randy Moss. Yes, I know he's not Randy Moss, but like Moss, Stephen Hill is blindingly fast with great hands and stands 6'4". This could be the missing piece to push Flacco's production well beyond the 4000 yard mark!
Just some food for thought. Tune in to ESPN tonight at 8:00 to see who the Ravens pick in the 2nd and 3rd rounds! As always GO RAVENS!!!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
MY RAVENS DRAFT WISHLIST (ROUNDS 1-3)
Well, Ravens fans, we've reached the final week before the NFL draft. If you're anything like me, you've been anxiously counting the days until the Ravens hopefully select the missing pieces to their roster puzzle. The Ravens brass specifically stated that they are looking to add another quality wide receiver, a center, and pass-rusher during the 2012 off-season. Since then, the Ravens have seen some solid players leave such as Cory Redding, Haruki Nakamura, Jarret Johnson, Tom Zbikowski, and Ben Grubbs. Cory Redding and Jarret Johnson will be immediately and effectively replaced by young, talented players behind them on the depth chart in Pernell McPhee and Paul Kruger, but Grubbs, Nakamura, and Zbikowski all left the Ravens with serious depth issues in their respective positions.The Ravens set to work and acquired solid journeyman safety Sean Considine to replace one of the two spots vacated by Ruke and Zibby. The Ravens also looked to kill two birds (not ravens of course) with one stone by signing special teams standout Corey Graham. Graham had the 3rd most special teams tackles in the NFL during the last 5 years, and he has experience as a defensive back and could potentially add to safety depth. As for replacing Ben Grubbs, the Ravens head coach John Harbaugh stated that the Ravens are going to give Jah Reid a chance to earn the starting left guard position. Jah is enormous and more of a natural tackle, but he has the athleticism to play guard and will do so at far less money than the $36 million that the Saints are going to pay Ben Grubbs over the course of his newly signed contract.
PURPLE NIGHTMARE'S DRAFT WISHLIST
It's impossible to accurately predict who the Ravens will draft with every single pick. This, as many of you know, is due to the Ravens' draft philosophy of picking the best player available. The Ravens make a ranking system of usually about 150 draftable players. When it is their time to pick, they select the player still on the draft board who ranks highest on their list. This does not mean, however, that the Ravens don't still pick players to address need and depth, but they try to adhere to the best player available strategy. I cannot pretend to know who the Ravens will draft with their first pick as I do not know who will be available at #29, and I certainly won't know whether the Ravens will trade up to get a player they really covet or trade down to acquire more picks with confidence that the player they want to pick first in the draft will still be available later than pick #29. I will, instead, give a list of the players I believe the Ravens realistically SHOULD pick in the first 3 rounds assuming that they're available. Without further ado, here they are:
ROUND 1 (Pick #29)
Stephen Hill, WR Georgia Tech- Yes, yes I know every draft analyst has the Ravens picking the center from Wisconsin, Peter Konz, to address the Ravens' needs on the O line, but I simply can't get on board with that. Matt Birk is returning and the Ravens could resign Andre Gurode for cheap if they want depth at center for another season or two. Stephen Hill's height, blinding speed, hands, as well as his incredible average yards-per-catch (29.3) during college make him impossible to pass up if he's still on the board at pick #29. Having Hill and Smith lined up wide would give every secondary in the league nightmares. Who do you double team? Torrey Smith with the insane second gear breakaway speed? Or maybe you'd rather double team the speedy young receiver who's so tall with such a great vertical and hands that he can haul the ball with one hand when it's delivered to him 11 feet in the air: Stephen Hill Sick One-handed Catch. And like Torrey Smith, Stephen Hill can beat you deep and make diving catches down-field: Stephen Hill- DEEP CATCH! Hill brings speed, height, athleticism, and reliable hands that would perfectly compliment Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin as well as take advantage of Joe Flacco's cannon of an arm. If he's on the board at #29, the Ravens simply MUST PICK HIM!
ROUND 2 (Pick #60)
Kevin Zeitler, OG Wisconsin- The 2012 appears to be stacked with talent at offensive guard. David DeCastro and Cordy Glenn appear to be total locks for the first round, but Kevin Zeitler would be a great value pick if he falls to the Ravens at #60. That is a big IF, however, as Zeitler could easily go in the top 40-50 picks. This is, you must remember, a wishlist and not a prediction. Thus, the Ravens may not see Zeitler on the board, but I sure hope they do! Zeitler comes from a program at Wisconsin that has produced some notable offensive linemen recently: Gabe Carimi of the 2011 draft and also Peter Konz who is projected by many to be first round pick in 2012. Zeitler has prototypical guard size at 6'4" and 315 pounds. He has a great weight room work ethic and strength as he put up 32 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press at the NFL combine. He has respectable speed for his size with a 5.39 official combine 40 yard dash, but Zeitler isn't quite as fast and athletic as Cordy Glenn or David DeCastro, and that's what will keep him out of the first round. Combine numbers, as many are always quick to point out, never tell the entire story, and one always has to watch game tape to truly evaluate a player. Take a look: Kevin Zeitler Highlights.
ROUND 3 (Pick #91)
Mychal Kendricks, LB Cal- Kendricks would be an absolute steal in the 3rd round. He recorded the fastest 40 yard dash time (4.47) of any linebacker in the 2012 NFL draft , and he possesses the vision, and hands to add to the long list of Ravens ball-hawks. He also plays with the intensity and strength to bring down running backs, receivers, and quarterbacks with powerful hits--take a look: Mychal Kendricks Highlights- Cal Football. Clearly, Kendricks is not Donta Hightower. He's not first round material, but then again, it doesn't take a first round draft pick to become a great Ravens linebacker. Bart Scott and Jameel McClain both became very good linebackers under the tutelage of Ray Lewis and neither of them was drafted at all! Kendricks is obviously a talented player and has the potential to become a pro bowler after studying for a few semesters at Ball So Hard University. C'mon Ozzie, PICK THIS GUY!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
POST-COMBINE ANALYSIS
I found myself far more hopeful and excited during this combine than any in the last few years. Maybe it was the fact that the Ravens were a dropped pass away from a trip to the Superbowl, but the 2011 season gave me serious hope for the 2012 season and beyond. The Ravens gambled and got rid of a sizeable group of veterans that included Joe Flacco's two favorite receiving weapons who also happened to be the most productive receivers in franchise history. Before 2011, people frequently brought up the average age of Ravens players and hypothesized that their window to win a Superbowl was closing. The Ravens, responded by utilizing youthful draft gems to demonstrate that the Ravens' true strength lies in their ability to assess and develop young talent year after year, despite the loss of veteran stars.
Players drafted over the last few years made a HUGE splash during the 2011 season. Lardarius Webb solidified his status as an elite shutdown corner and a leading ballhawk in the AFC. Torrey Smith played almost the entire 2011 season with a hernia and torn groin muscle, but you wouldn't have known it with his shocking speed and spectacular plays. Dennis Pitta turned into the team's new Heap (he's even Mormon!), and with some offseason strength training he should improve his blocking ability to become a complete tight end. Pernell McPhee proved a fierce pass rusher and was a total STEAL as the Ravens selected him in the 5th round of the 2011 draft. Jimmy Smith missed a lot of the season early, but eventually got back into the mix and showed a lot of raw talent and finished the year with 3 interceptions including a jawdropping pick in the playoffs that few other players would have been able to haul in before the ball hit the turf.
The Ravens roster seems to be just bursting with talent. The best part, however, is that we've seen in the last two seasons the Ravens have played quite well with Ed Reed and Ray Lewis sidelined for significant chunks of the season. Now, of course, as soon as they return, Ed and Ray remind the world that they're still elite and the Ravens are simply better when they're both on the field. Nevertheless, as long as Ozzie Newsome is evaluating young talent, the Ravens will continue to find the next great defensive superstars long after Ravens are forced to bid a tearful farewell to their two most beloved leaders....makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about that...moving on.
The Ravens displayed one of the most complete teams in the league in 2011. They, like any other team, still have personnel needs to fill in order to finally become a team dominant enough to simply bully their way through the season and playoffs to the Superbowl. The Ravens need a big-bodied, speedy wide receiver with great hands (which team doesn't right?) to finally give Joe Flacco a complete, elite, wide receiving corps. The Ravens need interior offensive linemen, though it's not clear if they'll need a center or guard as the statuses of Ben Grubbs and Matt Birk or Andre Gurode are all questionable at this point. The Ravens could use a talented, intense middle linebacker to learn from Ray during the last couple of years Ray's career, and there's always room for more pass rushers as Cory Redding's status isn't entirely clear at this point either. With all of that said, let's take a look at some combine standouts that could be available to the Ravens at each of these positions!
WIDE RECEIVER:
Stehpen Hill- I had not heard of this guy before the combine, but this numbers speak for themselves. Hill ran an official 4.36 forty yard dash, he displayed excellent hands and agility, and at 6'4" he has the height to make catches even in tight coverage by cornerbacks. Hill didn't have standout statistical totals in college, but he averaged over 29 yards per catch...let me repeat myself: HE AVERAGED OVER 29 YARDS PER CATCH. His low totals can also be heavily attributed to being a part of the Georgia Tech offense that puts up massive rushing yardage and still somehow manages to produce incredibly talented receivers such as Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas. I would love for the Ravens to pull the trigger on this guy in the first round, but they may find him available in the second round instead.
Alshon Jeffrey- There has been recent criticism of Jeffery's speed and ability to separate from defenders. Reports that Jeffery had gained weight as of late left some wondering if he would even go in the first round of the draft. Jeffery did not even run his 40 yard dash at the combine, and that only further reinforced the point of critics who questioned his speed. I, however, am not one of critics. I watched Alshon Jeffrey's highlight video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fljiaojL5fM) and came to the conclusion that his physicality, catching ability, and height (he's 6'4" by the way) would be a fantastic compliment to Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin and could quite possibly prove the missing cog in the Ravens' passing game that could take them to a level that the team has never experienced. Alshon is another receiver that could possibly be available to the Ravens in the second round of the draft.
MIDDLE LINEBACKER:
Dont'a Hightower: If he falls to the 29th pick, the Ravens simply must select this man. He ran an official 4.68 forty yard dash, and that is made even more impressive by the fact that he weighed in at 265 pounds and stands over 6'2". Hightower has rather long arms and uses his superior anticipation to make up for being somewhat heavy. I have no doubt that Hightower could drop to the 245-250 range and get even better at covering sideline to sideline as well as pass coverage. This guy won't fall to the second round, so if you can get him at the end of the first, you damn well better do it!
Mychal Kendricks: If the Ravens don't select a middle linebacker in the first round, then it's entirely possible that they look for one in the second. Mychal Kendricks displayed incredible speed at the combine with an official 4.47 forty yard dash. He is exactly the same height as Ray Lewis (6'1") and about 10 pounds lighter at 240. Like Ray Lewis, Kendricks is a brutal tackler, and his speed would allow him to cover sideline to sideline the way that Ray did for the first decade of his career. Kendricks wasn't part of an elite college defense the way that Hightower was, but a player of his speed and intensity would almost certainly turn into an absolute animal under the tutelage of Ray Lewis. If this guy is available by the end of the second round, he absolutely needs to wear a purple draft hat.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN:
Peter Konz- Many mock drafts already have the Ravens selecting Konz in the first round. Konz has the size, strength, and leadership ability to put him ahead of the rest of the pack in this year's draft. Konz is 6'5" and 314 pounds. He may not be much of a bench presser as he only hit 18 reps with 225 pounds at the combine, but he derives his on-field strength from the power of his hips and legs. I wouldn't complain if the Ravens selected Konz in the first round of the draft, but with Matt Birk announcing that he's not retiring and fellow probowl center Andre Gurode as his backup, I don't feel that the Ravens are in as dire a need for a center as many have speculated.
PASS RUSHER:
Zach Brown- It wouldn't be right of me not to mention a talented young player from my own high school. Brown is an exceptional athlete with surprising speed for his size. He ran a official 4.5 forty yard dash at the combine and weighed in at 244 pounds. His athletic potential makes him almost a lock for the first round. With the guidance of Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis, Brown could tap into all of his potential as an NFL athlete. After a great showing at the combine, I can't see Brown falling to the Ravens at the 29th pick. The Ravens have decent depth as far as OLB/DE type players are concerned so this isn't an area of dire need, but Ozzie Newsome made it clear that he's looking for pass rushers, and Zach Brown has the speed to chase down just about any quarterback whose name doesn't rhyme with Trychael Vick or Bram Newton. This Maryland native would look fantastic in purple and black, no doubt.
There are some more players that deserve to be mentioned, but sadly, I have run out of time to write for the day and will continue with more combine analysis tomorrow, so stay tuned! As always, GO RAVENS!
Players drafted over the last few years made a HUGE splash during the 2011 season. Lardarius Webb solidified his status as an elite shutdown corner and a leading ballhawk in the AFC. Torrey Smith played almost the entire 2011 season with a hernia and torn groin muscle, but you wouldn't have known it with his shocking speed and spectacular plays. Dennis Pitta turned into the team's new Heap (he's even Mormon!), and with some offseason strength training he should improve his blocking ability to become a complete tight end. Pernell McPhee proved a fierce pass rusher and was a total STEAL as the Ravens selected him in the 5th round of the 2011 draft. Jimmy Smith missed a lot of the season early, but eventually got back into the mix and showed a lot of raw talent and finished the year with 3 interceptions including a jawdropping pick in the playoffs that few other players would have been able to haul in before the ball hit the turf.
The Ravens roster seems to be just bursting with talent. The best part, however, is that we've seen in the last two seasons the Ravens have played quite well with Ed Reed and Ray Lewis sidelined for significant chunks of the season. Now, of course, as soon as they return, Ed and Ray remind the world that they're still elite and the Ravens are simply better when they're both on the field. Nevertheless, as long as Ozzie Newsome is evaluating young talent, the Ravens will continue to find the next great defensive superstars long after Ravens are forced to bid a tearful farewell to their two most beloved leaders....makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about that...moving on.
The Ravens displayed one of the most complete teams in the league in 2011. They, like any other team, still have personnel needs to fill in order to finally become a team dominant enough to simply bully their way through the season and playoffs to the Superbowl. The Ravens need a big-bodied, speedy wide receiver with great hands (which team doesn't right?) to finally give Joe Flacco a complete, elite, wide receiving corps. The Ravens need interior offensive linemen, though it's not clear if they'll need a center or guard as the statuses of Ben Grubbs and Matt Birk or Andre Gurode are all questionable at this point. The Ravens could use a talented, intense middle linebacker to learn from Ray during the last couple of years Ray's career, and there's always room for more pass rushers as Cory Redding's status isn't entirely clear at this point either. With all of that said, let's take a look at some combine standouts that could be available to the Ravens at each of these positions!
WIDE RECEIVER:
Stehpen Hill- I had not heard of this guy before the combine, but this numbers speak for themselves. Hill ran an official 4.36 forty yard dash, he displayed excellent hands and agility, and at 6'4" he has the height to make catches even in tight coverage by cornerbacks. Hill didn't have standout statistical totals in college, but he averaged over 29 yards per catch...let me repeat myself: HE AVERAGED OVER 29 YARDS PER CATCH. His low totals can also be heavily attributed to being a part of the Georgia Tech offense that puts up massive rushing yardage and still somehow manages to produce incredibly talented receivers such as Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas. I would love for the Ravens to pull the trigger on this guy in the first round, but they may find him available in the second round instead.
Alshon Jeffrey- There has been recent criticism of Jeffery's speed and ability to separate from defenders. Reports that Jeffery had gained weight as of late left some wondering if he would even go in the first round of the draft. Jeffery did not even run his 40 yard dash at the combine, and that only further reinforced the point of critics who questioned his speed. I, however, am not one of critics. I watched Alshon Jeffrey's highlight video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fljiaojL5fM) and came to the conclusion that his physicality, catching ability, and height (he's 6'4" by the way) would be a fantastic compliment to Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin and could quite possibly prove the missing cog in the Ravens' passing game that could take them to a level that the team has never experienced. Alshon is another receiver that could possibly be available to the Ravens in the second round of the draft.
MIDDLE LINEBACKER:
Dont'a Hightower: If he falls to the 29th pick, the Ravens simply must select this man. He ran an official 4.68 forty yard dash, and that is made even more impressive by the fact that he weighed in at 265 pounds and stands over 6'2". Hightower has rather long arms and uses his superior anticipation to make up for being somewhat heavy. I have no doubt that Hightower could drop to the 245-250 range and get even better at covering sideline to sideline as well as pass coverage. This guy won't fall to the second round, so if you can get him at the end of the first, you damn well better do it!
Mychal Kendricks: If the Ravens don't select a middle linebacker in the first round, then it's entirely possible that they look for one in the second. Mychal Kendricks displayed incredible speed at the combine with an official 4.47 forty yard dash. He is exactly the same height as Ray Lewis (6'1") and about 10 pounds lighter at 240. Like Ray Lewis, Kendricks is a brutal tackler, and his speed would allow him to cover sideline to sideline the way that Ray did for the first decade of his career. Kendricks wasn't part of an elite college defense the way that Hightower was, but a player of his speed and intensity would almost certainly turn into an absolute animal under the tutelage of Ray Lewis. If this guy is available by the end of the second round, he absolutely needs to wear a purple draft hat.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN:
Peter Konz- Many mock drafts already have the Ravens selecting Konz in the first round. Konz has the size, strength, and leadership ability to put him ahead of the rest of the pack in this year's draft. Konz is 6'5" and 314 pounds. He may not be much of a bench presser as he only hit 18 reps with 225 pounds at the combine, but he derives his on-field strength from the power of his hips and legs. I wouldn't complain if the Ravens selected Konz in the first round of the draft, but with Matt Birk announcing that he's not retiring and fellow probowl center Andre Gurode as his backup, I don't feel that the Ravens are in as dire a need for a center as many have speculated.
PASS RUSHER:
Zach Brown- It wouldn't be right of me not to mention a talented young player from my own high school. Brown is an exceptional athlete with surprising speed for his size. He ran a official 4.5 forty yard dash at the combine and weighed in at 244 pounds. His athletic potential makes him almost a lock for the first round. With the guidance of Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis, Brown could tap into all of his potential as an NFL athlete. After a great showing at the combine, I can't see Brown falling to the Ravens at the 29th pick. The Ravens have decent depth as far as OLB/DE type players are concerned so this isn't an area of dire need, but Ozzie Newsome made it clear that he's looking for pass rushers, and Zach Brown has the speed to chase down just about any quarterback whose name doesn't rhyme with Trychael Vick or Bram Newton. This Maryland native would look fantastic in purple and black, no doubt.
There are some more players that deserve to be mentioned, but sadly, I have run out of time to write for the day and will continue with more combine analysis tomorrow, so stay tuned! As always, GO RAVENS!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
BRING ON THE DRAFT!!!! (Part 2)
So there have been some interesting recent developments in NFL news in the past few days. Ricky Williams announced his retirement from the NFL, Rob Gronkowski was seen dancing out at a club a day or two after losing the superbowl, fans in Boston demonstrated the definition of what it means to be poor losers, and Gisele Bundchen responded angrily towards criticism of her hubby's late-game Superbowl performance and placed the blame of the loss squarely in the hands of the Patriots' receiving corps.
Only one of those stories, however, is serious news that will have any effect on the NFL next season. The Ravens will have an important decision to make regarding their running back depth in light of Ricky Williams' retirement. Ricky provided exactly what the Ravens needed in a backup: he was experienced and proven, he was content to serve as the 2nd string back behind Ray Rice, and he provided good speed burst and substantial size to muscle through tacklers when necessary. The Ravens could opt to give Anthony Allen a try at being Rice's backup. Allen displayed impressive speed and size in the 2011 pre-season, and he rushed for over 1800 yards in his final season of college. Allen would be quite a cheap option on a team that could use all of the salary cap space in a year where the Ravens will be looking to sign and retain Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, Ben Grubbs, and Lardarius Webb. Ozzie Newsome also made it clear that the Ravens will be looking to improve at wide receiver. This could mean utilizing young receivers such as Tandon Doss and LaQuan Williams, or it could mean going after a big name free agent...and, maaaan, there are some big names out there to choose from!
The list of unrestricted free agent wide receivers is a who's who of NFL playmakers. Here are the top 13 options:
1. Vincent Jackson, Chargers
2. Marques Colston, Saints
3. Wes Welker, Patriots.
4. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
5. Laurent Robinson, Cowboys
6. Stevie Johnson, Bills
7. DeSean Jackson, Eagles
8. Reggie Wayne, Colts
9. Brandon Lloyd, Rams
10. Mario Manningham, Giants
11. Pierre Garcon, Colts
12. Jerome Simpson, Bengals
13. Robert Meachem, Saints
Clearly, Ravens fans will be begging their beloved team to pick up the likes of Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, or Dwayne Bowe. A big receiver with proven hands and great speed would put the Ravens receiving corps into elite status. Suddenly the Ravens would be able to put Anquan back in the slot where he plays most naturally, they would have Torrey Smith to take the top off opposing defenses, and they'd have a wide receiver who can win jump ball situations and also spread the field. A Vincent Jackson type receiver could offer the speed, size, and hands to bring the Ravens into the top 10 in total offensive production as added firepower to the passing game would open things up further for Ray Rice and the Ravens' rushing attack. "GREAT!!! Where do we sign up?", you're probably asking. Well not so fast. Receivers of this caliber come with hefty price tags, and "the right player at the right price" has always been the motto of the Ravens' free agent acquisition process.
Nevertheless, the idea of Vincent Jackson in purple and black is an intriguing one. We've seen Philip Rivers launch bombs to Jackson for years, and one could only imagine that Flacco's arm strength would allow Jackson's role on the Ravens to be nearly identical. Only time will tell which of these many free agents will fall into the Ravens' price range and which will simply get re-signed by their current teams.
A big, speedy, sure-handed wide receiver would be an enormous piece to the puzzle of the Ravens' pass offense, but acquiring one won't mean much without an solid offensive line to give Flacco time to find his targets. The Ravens most likely will have to draft a center within the first 2-3 rounds of the draft, but more questions remain because of Ben Grubbs' free agency. Grubbs is a pro bowl lineman and one that the Ravens should do everything within their power to retain. Because of his performance, however, Grubbs will have the power to command a high salary and will undoubtedly entertain bids from other teams. Some have recently mentioned the possibility of Jah Reid moving from back-up tackle to guard and taking Grubbs' place. Guard is not an easy position for a tackle to play, and Grubbs has the speed and athleticism that Jah Reid may lack at that position. Reid is, after all, prototypical tackle size at 6'7" and roughly 340 pounds. Grubbs, by contrast, is 6'3" and much faster at 310 pounds.
Hopefully the Ravens will be able to free up enough salary cap room to sign Flacco, Rice, Webb and Grubbs to long term deals and still have enough left over to make a serious bid for a big name wide reciever. Ricky Williams departure will mean that the Ravens will most likely replace him with a much younger and cheaper back in Anthony Allen. Lee Evans will most likely become a salary cap casualty unless he agrees to play for FAR less money than was agreed upon in his original Raven contract. Paul Kruger may also take the starting position of veteran linebacker Jarret Johnson, but Kruger has mostly displayed pass rushing abilities and lacks strong run-stopping ability that JJ has provided for close to a decade. We'll know a lot more by the time the 2012 draft is over, but I have no doubt that Ravens fans across the state will excitedly ponder the possibilites!
As always, GO RAVENS!
Only one of those stories, however, is serious news that will have any effect on the NFL next season. The Ravens will have an important decision to make regarding their running back depth in light of Ricky Williams' retirement. Ricky provided exactly what the Ravens needed in a backup: he was experienced and proven, he was content to serve as the 2nd string back behind Ray Rice, and he provided good speed burst and substantial size to muscle through tacklers when necessary. The Ravens could opt to give Anthony Allen a try at being Rice's backup. Allen displayed impressive speed and size in the 2011 pre-season, and he rushed for over 1800 yards in his final season of college. Allen would be quite a cheap option on a team that could use all of the salary cap space in a year where the Ravens will be looking to sign and retain Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, Ben Grubbs, and Lardarius Webb. Ozzie Newsome also made it clear that the Ravens will be looking to improve at wide receiver. This could mean utilizing young receivers such as Tandon Doss and LaQuan Williams, or it could mean going after a big name free agent...and, maaaan, there are some big names out there to choose from!
The list of unrestricted free agent wide receivers is a who's who of NFL playmakers. Here are the top 13 options:
1. Vincent Jackson, Chargers
2. Marques Colston, Saints
3. Wes Welker, Patriots.
4. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
5. Laurent Robinson, Cowboys
6. Stevie Johnson, Bills
7. DeSean Jackson, Eagles
8. Reggie Wayne, Colts
9. Brandon Lloyd, Rams
10. Mario Manningham, Giants
11. Pierre Garcon, Colts
12. Jerome Simpson, Bengals
13. Robert Meachem, Saints
Clearly, Ravens fans will be begging their beloved team to pick up the likes of Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, or Dwayne Bowe. A big receiver with proven hands and great speed would put the Ravens receiving corps into elite status. Suddenly the Ravens would be able to put Anquan back in the slot where he plays most naturally, they would have Torrey Smith to take the top off opposing defenses, and they'd have a wide receiver who can win jump ball situations and also spread the field. A Vincent Jackson type receiver could offer the speed, size, and hands to bring the Ravens into the top 10 in total offensive production as added firepower to the passing game would open things up further for Ray Rice and the Ravens' rushing attack. "GREAT!!! Where do we sign up?", you're probably asking. Well not so fast. Receivers of this caliber come with hefty price tags, and "the right player at the right price" has always been the motto of the Ravens' free agent acquisition process.
Nevertheless, the idea of Vincent Jackson in purple and black is an intriguing one. We've seen Philip Rivers launch bombs to Jackson for years, and one could only imagine that Flacco's arm strength would allow Jackson's role on the Ravens to be nearly identical. Only time will tell which of these many free agents will fall into the Ravens' price range and which will simply get re-signed by their current teams.
A big, speedy, sure-handed wide receiver would be an enormous piece to the puzzle of the Ravens' pass offense, but acquiring one won't mean much without an solid offensive line to give Flacco time to find his targets. The Ravens most likely will have to draft a center within the first 2-3 rounds of the draft, but more questions remain because of Ben Grubbs' free agency. Grubbs is a pro bowl lineman and one that the Ravens should do everything within their power to retain. Because of his performance, however, Grubbs will have the power to command a high salary and will undoubtedly entertain bids from other teams. Some have recently mentioned the possibility of Jah Reid moving from back-up tackle to guard and taking Grubbs' place. Guard is not an easy position for a tackle to play, and Grubbs has the speed and athleticism that Jah Reid may lack at that position. Reid is, after all, prototypical tackle size at 6'7" and roughly 340 pounds. Grubbs, by contrast, is 6'3" and much faster at 310 pounds.
Hopefully the Ravens will be able to free up enough salary cap room to sign Flacco, Rice, Webb and Grubbs to long term deals and still have enough left over to make a serious bid for a big name wide reciever. Ricky Williams departure will mean that the Ravens will most likely replace him with a much younger and cheaper back in Anthony Allen. Lee Evans will most likely become a salary cap casualty unless he agrees to play for FAR less money than was agreed upon in his original Raven contract. Paul Kruger may also take the starting position of veteran linebacker Jarret Johnson, but Kruger has mostly displayed pass rushing abilities and lacks strong run-stopping ability that JJ has provided for close to a decade. We'll know a lot more by the time the 2012 draft is over, but I have no doubt that Ravens fans across the state will excitedly ponder the possibilites!
As always, GO RAVENS!
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