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Ravens NFL Draft Grades


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#1 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 30 April 2023 - 08:25 AM

The Ringer: 
https://www.theringe...s-cowboys-lions

 

Round 1, Pick 22: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Round 3, Pick 86: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
Round 4, Pick 124: Tavius Robinson, EDGE, Mississippi
Round 5, Pick 157: Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford
Round 6, Pick 199: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OL, Oregon
Round 7, Pick 229: Andrew Vorhees, G, USC

The Ravens had a relatively quiet draft and picked just twice in the first three rounds (they gave their second-rounder to Chicago last year in the trade for linebacker Roquan Smith), but I liked what they did with limited capital. Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers, Baltimore’s first-round pick, is a twitchy, dynamic playmaker, who brings some downfield juice and yards-after-the-catch talent to give Lamar Jackson a much-needed boost in the passing game. Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson is an exceptional athlete with sideline-to-sideline speed and a knack for slicing through the line on blitzes. I also liked their Day 3 pick of Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, a speedy corner with good size and some playmaking instincts.

Grade: B

 

 



#2 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 30 April 2023 - 08:26 AM

NFL.com: 2023 NFL Draft: Final quick-snap grades for all 32 teams

https://www.nfl.com/...or-all-32-teams

 

Analysis: The Ravens found a tough and quick receiver in Flowers to complement Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman. Even after wisely trading their 2023 second-round pick for linebacker Roquan Smith last season, Simpson’s closing speed and ability to play outside or inside made him a home run pick in Round 3.

 

Robinson adds needed depth off the edge. Kelly can lose his target in man but will attack plays in zone. He was a good find for Baltimore in the fifth round. Aumavae-Laulu is massive, like some of his predecessors at tackle for the Ravens, but he has better short-area quickness than you’d expect. Vorhees is working his way back from an ACL tear he suffered at the NFL Scouting Combine. He could end up being a tremendous Round 7 value after he returns. 

 

Grade: A



#3 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 30 April 2023 - 08:28 AM

PFF.com: https://www.pff.com/...or-all-32-teams

 

Day 1: Flowers is shifty, knows how to separate and complements what the Ravens have at the position well. He can replace the production they lost from Hollywood Brown after trading him away last year, as Flowers racked up 500 receiving yards on throws 20-plus yards downfield.

Day 2: Baltimore gets good value here in Clemson off-ball linebacker Trenton Simpson, a former five-star recruit in the 2020 class. Simpson’s numbers did dip a bit from 2021 to 2022 as he moved from an overhang role to playing more in between the tackles, but the Ravens will surely take advantage of the physically gifted linebacker’s versatility.

Day 3: Robinson has all the tools at 6-foot-6 and 257 pounds. He is a project, though, and while he has the length and power to play in the NFL, he needs to widen his pass-rush arsenal. Baltimore won’t ask him to play a ton early, and they’ll have to decide if he is a 3-4 end or an outside linebacker in their defense.

Kelly has a ton of football experience as the son of a former NFL corner and a four-year starter at Stanford, which ran a man-heavy scheme in his time there. Nonetheless, Kelly may be a better fit in a zone scheme due to his length and vision.

Vorhees made news at the combine after putting up 38 bench press reps (98th percentile) after tearing his ACL in the drills. That speaks to the kind of power that he brings to the interior. Vorhees earned 80.0-plus PFF grades in each of the past two seasons as a starter for USC and is an intriguing “redshirt” selection here for Baltimore in the seventh round.

DRAFT GRADE: B



#4 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 30 April 2023 - 08:30 AM

USA Today: https://www.usatoday...am/11764697002/

 

It may not technically count as part of the draft, but finally striking an extension with QB Lamar Jackson set a nice tone Thursday and allowed GM Eric DeCosta and Co. to focus on player procurement without distraction. And he wasted little time getting Jackson another nifty weapon in explosive first-round slot WR Zay Flowers. DeCosta traded his second-round pick last year to get LB Roquan Smith – well spent capital – and got rangy Trenton Simpson, who might be Smith's running mate in the long term, in Round 3.

 

Grade: B+, 8th overall



#5 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 30 April 2023 - 08:46 AM

PFNhttps://www.profootb...ft-grades-2023/

 

With Lamar Jackson safely under contract, the Ravens went to work addressing their most significant needs in the 2023 NFL Draft. Zay Flowers gives them an electric, game-changing WR while they addressed the offensive tackle need late in the draft. Defensive holes were plugged with Kyu Blu Kelly, underrated edge Tavius Robinson, and do-it-all linebacker Trenton Simpson who was great value in the third round.

Overall Grade: B+

 

More Ravens Draft from PFN: 
https://www.profootb...ft-grades-2023/
 



#6 Biggsy

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Posted 30 April 2023 - 10:48 AM

The farther we get away from day 1, the happier I am with the Flowers pick. I would have preferred a CB. But Flowers will certainly be an impactful piece to the offense, barring injury.

The only spots on the roster that worry me at this point, are offensive line depth, and CB.

Outside of those two spots, we have an extremely talented and deep roster. Jackson will be back in the offseason program, and is no longer a distraction. Dobbins and Edwards are both a year removed from major knee injuries. And to end the season, Dobbins looked like he was about 95% back. If he regained that long speed, he's a certified stud at RB. Edwards is a great spell back. WR you have 4 options that are great YAC guys in OBJ, Bateman, Flowers and Duvernay. And Agohlar offers great depth. And the starting O-line is a big strength.

On defense the front 7 should be very good. Pass rush may be an issue again if Ojabo and Oweh don't improve at all. But Bowser and Madibuike have an underrated pass rush ability. And we should have one of the best safety duo's in football.

However, Humphrey may have a very boring year though. Why would opposing teams even target him right now. Just target Stephens or Williams. Hoping we address CB post-draft.

Really wish Lamar had been done earlier. Really feel like if they Ravens had the cap flexibility, we would have been in on Ramsey. Some may not have wanted him at his price and age, but we're in our Superbowl window. And a tandem of Humphrey and Ramsey with Williams and Hamilton on the back end is as much talent in a starting secondary as you could ask for.

#7 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 30 April 2023 - 11:01 AM

The farther we get away from day 1, the happier I am with the Flowers pick. I would have preferred a CB. But Flowers will certainly be an impactful piece to the offense, barring injury.

The only spots on the roster that worry me at this point, are offensive line depth, and CB.

Outside of those two spots, we have an extremely talented and deep roster. Jackson will be back in the offseason program, and is no longer a distraction. Dobbins and Edwards are both a year removed from major knee injuries. And to end the season, Dobbins looked like he was about 95% back. If he regained that long speed, he's a certified stud at RB. Edwards is a great spell back. WR you have 4 options that are great YAC guys in OBJ, Bateman, Flowers and Duvernay. And Agohlar offers great depth. And the starting O-line is a big strength.

On defense the front 7 should be very good. Pass rush may be an issue again if Ojabo and Oweh don't improve at all. But Bowser and Madibuike have an underrated pass rush ability. And we should have one of the best safety duo's in football.

However, Humphrey may have a very boring year though. Why would opposing teams even target him right now. Just target Stephens or Williams. Hoping we address CB post-draft.

Really wish Lamar had been done earlier. Really feel like if they Ravens had the cap flexibility, we would have been in on Ramsey. Some may not have wanted him at his price and age, but we're in our Superbowl window. And a tandem of Humphrey and Ramsey with Williams and Hamilton on the back end is as much talent in a starting secondary as you could ask for.


Largely agree...  I think you are higher on the DL than I am though.   For me, even if you feel good about Madubuike, and Jones... it's a little thin.  Losing Campbell was a blow.



#8 BSLJamieSieck

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 09:56 AM

This is going to be an unpopular take but I am so relieved that the draft is over. I find all of the minutia, the endless mock drafts and just the whole process to be tedious. Kudos to the NFL for turning it into the event and spectacle it's become but I find it mind numbing.

 

Perhaps it's because I don't really watch or care for college football. Or maybe it's the whole phoniness that ensues......everyone loves their draft, everyone got "their guy".....platitudes drive me nuts.

 

On the flipside, I look forward to rookie mini camp and seeing what we brought in and how these guys will fit onto the roster.


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#9 TwentyThirtyFive

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 10:25 AM

April is baseball season! I did find it funny that during my brief time watching the draft I saw a commercial promoting the schedule release. I guess they sell that as some big thing. The oversaturation of football makes me puke. How many spring leagues do we have now
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#10 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 12:40 PM

Transaction Season has been a thing in pro sports for years. It's how the NFL stays relevant in March-April, the NBA in July, and MLB in December-January. And with the transfer portal/NIL, college sports is now getting in on the action.

 

I think the NFL gets it backwards with how it does its offseason though. It would make more sense to me to hold the draft before free agency.



#11 bmore_ken

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 12:42 PM

This is going to be an unpopular take but I am so relieved that the draft is over. I find all of the minutia, the endless mock drafts and just the whole process to be tedious. Kudos to the NFL for turning it into the event and spectacle it's become but I find it mind numbing.

Perhaps it's because I don't really watch or care for college football. Or maybe it's the whole phoniness that ensues......everyone loves their draft, everyone got "their guy".....platitudes drive me nuts.

On the flipside, I look forward to rookie mini camp and seeing what we brought in and how these guys will fit onto the roster.


I second that sentiment.

#12 St.Steveg

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 12:47 PM

In regard to the NFL making a spectacle of the draft, I could not believe how many people were there in person. It looked like New Year's Eve in Times Square. In both cases, I can't imagine standing in a crowd cheek to jowl for four hours or so for a moment's release. I just can't see the fun in that. Regarding the TV production, I thought it was quite good, especially how they can bring up college game highlights in a moment for every prospect. I had it on the whole time, though I was doing other stuff. The later rounds were kind of annoying, especially since they went to commercial for every Ravens' pick.

 

I don't do team draft grades. I don't watch college ball. Professional scouts and football executives spent months preparing for this; what am I going to add? I thought the positions selected made sense. I was pretty impressed with the seventh round pick of the injured OL Voorhees; pretty savvy to have that talent in stock for next year. What did they trade to get back into that round?



#13 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 12:51 PM

I was pretty impressed with the seventh round pick of the injured OL Voorhees; pretty savvy to have that talent in stock for next year. What did they trade to get back into that round?

 

Their 6th Rd in 2024. So if you look at it from the perspective that Vorhees would have been a Day 2 pick if not for the injury, and he's expected to recover fully from that injury, then getting a starting caliber guard in the 2024 draft for a 6th Round pick is good value.



#14 hallas

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 01:27 PM

Their 6th Rd in 2024. So if you look at it from the perspective that Vorhees would have been a Day 2 pick if not for the injury, and he's expected to recover fully from that injury, then getting a starting caliber guard in the 2024 draft for a 6th Round pick is good value.


Its a risk though. A decent chunk of players don't make it back from ACL surgery, and he's missing a year.

#15 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 02:10 PM

Its a risk though. A decent chunk of players don't make it back from ACL surgery, and he's missing a year.

 

What are the numbers on that? And how many of those who don't make it back were fringe NFL players to begin with?



#16 Biggsy

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 02:40 PM

Its a risk though. A decent chunk of players don't make it back from ACL surgery, and he's missing a year.



Without actually knowing any real numbers on it, logically I'd think Lineman have a better track record than most when it comes to returning from an ACL.

#17 You Play to Win the Game

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 02:46 PM

Without actually knowing any real numbers on it, logically I'd think Lineman have a better track record than most when it comes to returning from an ACL.

Are you thinking that because of the athleticism required from other positions? The thing with lineman though, is some of them are literally exponentially higher in weight. 



#18 Biggsy

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 02:49 PM

Are you thinking that because of the athleticism required from other positions? The thing with lineman though, is some of them are literally exponentially higher in weight.



Thinking that because they're not out there consistently making high leverage, lateral cuts. ACL stabilizes the knee on side to side movement. Once it's repaired, it's usually as strong, or stronger than it was before. The issues typically come from regaining long speed or explosion in athletes, post-ACL injury.
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#19 hallas

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 04:19 PM

Without actually knowing any real numbers on it, logically I'd think Lineman have a better track record than most when it comes to returning from an ACL.


Linemen return to play at about a 65-70% clip after ACL reconstruction.  The return to performance is a bit more of a mixed bag in terms of data - I have 1 study that says that linemen lose some snap count, and I have another article that says that linemen that go back on the field play to their previous level.

 

There are a lot of moving parts here, not the least of which being that 1: linemen are prone to injury no matter what, 2: linemen are a year older after their year off, and 3: linemen playing off a reconstructed ACL are prone to additional knee injuries.  Also, if you tear more than just your ACL your outcomes are much, much worse than if you just have an ACL tear.

 

I think that overall it's a pretty good bet - we're basically paying a 3/3.9 million deferred contract to a player that would have gotten picked earlier and picked up a 4/5.5 contract at his uninjured draft position.

 

They do have better outcomes than RBs, WRs, and DBs.  I think RBs and DBs are the worst.  RBs because the position is just hard on you, DBs because they're the most reliant on cuts and change-of-direction.


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#20 hallas

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Posted 01 May 2023 - 04:24 PM


Largely agree...  I think you are higher on the DL than I am though.   For me, even if you feel good about Madubuike, and Jones... it's a little thin.  Losing Campbell was a blow.

 

 

Pierce is back.  And Broderick Washington looked pretty good replacing Pierce.


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