I have no doubt that the Ravens wouldn't hesitate to pick up a talented safety in this year's draft if one becomes available in the first round. That safety, however, would have to be an extremely high value and the best player available according to the Ravens draft board. Safety is a position of concern as there's a chance Ed Reed signs a contract with another team. I think I speak for all Ravens fans when I say that I hope and pray that doesn't happen, but it's a real possibility and it would leave a leadership vacuum in the the Ravens secondary. Ed isn't as fast as he was even a few years ago, and he has dealt with serious injuries that have lessened his ability to wrap up and tackle opponents. Despite his injuries, Reed managed to play in every game for the past two seasons, and he finished the 2012 season with the most tackles he has recorded since the 2006 season. Ed also had at least one interception in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons including a critical interception in the Super Bowl. Reed is now tied with Ronnie Lott for most career post-season interceptions in NFL history with 9.
More important that Reed's physical performance on the field is his ability to educate and elevate the players around him. Ed is cut from the same cloth as Ray Lewis in that regard, and Lardarius Webb will be the first one to tell you that Ed is the biggest reason for his own current ball hawking ability. Also more important than Reed's current physical ability is the respect he is given by opposing teams and quarterbacks based on years of unparalleled performance. As long as Ed is healthy, he should be able to garner this respect for at least the next couple of seasons.
With all of that said, the Ravens already have some talented young safeties behind Ed Reed. Baltimore picked the fastest free safety in the draft last year in Christian Thompson. They also acquired a safety named Omar Brown who captivated fans in the pre-season with many takeaways. Brown plays safety rather instinctively, and as I mentioned in yesterday's post, Ed Reed remarked last season that Omar reminds him of himself at that age. These rising young players and the hope that Ed Reed re-signs with the Baltimore are good reasons why free safety is not as much of a dire need as nose tackle or middle linebacker, but there may be a safety or two that the Ravens value too highly to pass up drafting early. Let's take a look at who might be available:
FREE SAFETIES
1. ERIC REID- It's fitting that the best free safety in this draft has the same initials with basically the same last name as the greatest free safety of our generation. This LSU product has the physical attributes and athleticism to ultimately replace Ed Reed a few years down the line or possibly to take Ed's spot this season if he departs for another team. Reid is 6'1" with incredibly long arms for his frame (33 and 5/8"). Reid ran an official combine forty yard dash time of 4.53 which is just slightly slower than Christian Thompson's 4.50 forty time from a year ago. Reid has great hands and phenomenal tackling intensity. He would be a fantastic, big-bodied coverage asset as NFL teams ultilize pass-catching tight ends more and more in the coming years. His only major downfall is his occassional tendency to take bad angles and miss as a result of being overly aggressive when attempting to tackle in the open field. That problem, however, would likely be fixed rapidly with one year learning under Ed Reed. Reid is a great ball hawk and has good downfield vision that allows him to return interceptions for a good amount of yardage. It may be a long shot for this athlete to fall to the Ravens at the 32nd draft spot, but if he happens to be available, this pick is a no-brainer. Click this link to take a look at this highlights: ERIC REID'S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2. JONATHAN CYPRIEN- Ok, so you likely have never heard of this free safety. He played for Florida International and wasn't a huge standout at the combine as he only participated in the vertical jump. I assume he's waiting for his pro day in order to show what he can do in all of the other major physical tests. Cyprien is exactly 6 feet tall and fast. His range as a free safety is great and he covers a lot of ground in the secondary. Cyprien has the vision, speed, and hands to be a great NFL ballhawk, and he is a sure tackler that excels at breaking up passes. This is exactly the style of safety that the Ravens need, and he's not such a big name as Eric Reid so he could very well be available to the Ravens in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft. Cyprien could be another hidden gem from a smaller college program in the same fashion as Lardarius Webb. Oh...and did I mention Cyprien is an incredibly hard hitter? Take a look at Cyprien's highlights, you won't be disappointed: JONATHAN CYPRIEN'S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
3. MATT ELAM- After watching his highlight tape, I was surprised when I remembered that this athlete is listed as a free safety. Elam is an explosive tackler who excels when playing up at or near the line of scrimmage. His style may translate better to strong safety in the NFL, but he has the speed and acceleration to close in on defenders in the open field with ease. Elam could provide versitility at the safety position for the Ravens in the fashion of Haruki Nakamura or Tom Zbikowski with his ability to play at either safety position. He's only 5'10" and might struggle to cover taller receivers, but he ran almost an identical official combine forty yard dash time as Eric Reid with a 4.54. I doubt the Ravens would pick him in the first round, but he'd be a great value if they use compensatory picks to trade up in the second round. His highlights tape is, however, incredibly exciting to watch and he would definitely provide a great boost to the Ravens run defense. Click on this link to view his highlights: MATT ELAM'S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Stay tuned next week for the offensive portion of my 2013 Ravens draft wishlist. The Ravens offense dominated the post season and most of the Ravens' offensive pieces are under contract for next year, but there are at least a few positions in question with a number of key players becoming restricted and unrestricted free agents such as Dennis Pitta, Ed Dickson, and Bryant McKinnie. The Ravens will always look to bolster their strength and depth at offensive line, and with the departure of Matt Birk, the Ravens may bring in another center to compete with Gino Gradkowski. The Ravens wide receiver situation appears fairly stable, and we may see them utilize Tommy Streeter and Deonte Thompson this season, but the Ravens won't pass up the opportunity to draft high value receivers to further surround Joe Flacco with weapons as he enters his prime. This promises to be quite an exciting draft to say the least!
AS ALWAYS
GO RAVENS!!!
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