Ravens Mock Draft Simulators

[drd23]

27 minutes ago, Danand said:

Taylor is a great prospect, but I still have a hard time seeing the value there. Unless we can unload Gus for picks or a player, he would be the odd man out

I keep forgetting that there are 2 cost-controlled years left with Gus (this year as an ERFA and then likely 2021 as an RFA asuming Rosenhaus doesn't manage to convince someone to pay up whatever the tender is) and not one

The main guy I could have chosen instead iirc was Shenault, but I'm not the biggest fan of his

[Danand]

1 minute ago, drd23 said:

I keep forgetting that there are 2 cost-controlled years left with Gus (this year as an ERFA and then likely 2021 as an RFA asuming Rosenhaus doesn't manage to convince someone to pay up whatever the tender is)

The main guy I could have chosen instead iirc was Shenault, but I'm not the biggest fan of his

I am opposed to selecting a RB high, partly because I think you can 80% of the production from a 5-7 round pick compared to a 1-2 round pick while you don't have to pay them all that much. Also, there are very very few runningbacks, who are worth the 2. contract, so unless the team decide to pay up, you draft a 1. contract guy early, so in this case, Jonathan Williams would essentially be a 2-3 year deal as the main guy as.

Most runningbacks can produce as rookies anyway, so in my mind you draft a runningback when you have the need, not 1-2 year prior to it becoming a need.

It might be a cynical way of looking at it, but that is the terms for the position nowadays.

I don't see Ingram falling of a cliff if we continue to rotate/split carries like we did last year, but if he does due to age/injury, then Gus as the hammer can be a fine bridge for us selecting a new one once the time comes.

[diamondbull424]

3 hours ago, Danand said:

I am opposed to selecting a RB high, partly because I think you can 80% of the production from a 5-7 round pick compared to a 1-2 round pick while you don't have to pay them all that much. Also, there are very very few runningbacks, who are worth the 2. contract, so unless the team decide to pay up, you draft a 1. contract guy early, so in this case, Jonathan Williams would essentially be a 2-3 year deal as the main guy as.

Most runningbacks can produce as rookies anyway, so in my mind you draft a runningback when you have the need, not 1-2 year prior to it becoming a need.

It might be a cynical way of looking at it, but that is the terms for the position nowadays.

I don't see Ingram falling of a cliff if we continue to rotate/split carries like we did last year, but if he does due to age/injury, then Gus as the hammer can be a fine bridge for us selecting a new one once the time comes.

Meh... the team hasn’t shown to be particularly confident in Gus when the time came. First thing they did was bring in Ingram to lead the backfield. Then with a banged up Ingram they felt the need to feed him the ball in the playoffs vs Gus.

That said, I’m not against keeping him. The most dangerous backfield would be with Ingram, Gus, and “TAYLOR” (😝). I’m sure if we can’t find a trade partner for Gus, we could probably get at least a 5th for Justice Hill... I’m not particularly a fan of his vision... and Taylor would replace the speed and extra RB outlet threat that he brings to the table.

I mean could you imagine defenses having to tackle Ingram, Gus, and Taylor ALL GAME LONG?? And when they don’t... it’s because Jackson kept the ball for the QB keeper? Good luck. 😂

[Danand]

I think people are suddenly down on Gus Edwards to figure out a reason to fit Jonathan Taylor on the roster.

We can wonder why the coaches played Ingram as much as they did against the Titans, but after the game basically everyone agreed that we lost due to the oline struggling, not because Edwards couldn't get it done.

Still, investing high in a RB in our situation means we would have to say goodbye to either Hill or Edwards, and a RB would still likely only get 7-10 carries a game unless we decide to sit Ingram - and then he would be in excess and we should part ways with him as the most expensive RB on the roster.

Hill also came on stronger by the end of the year, and it is very clear he has a different gear than the rest - also consideren whoever we would bring in this year, and if Hill keeps ascending, he could be just as big a playmaker as a Taylor on swing passes and as a homerun hitter. Both Hill and Taylor are unknown in the department

[coordinator0]

I think Edwards' numbers speak for themselves. He's just good, productive, and steady. Ingram is a bigger beast though and the team needed to see if he could make it happen in the playoffs. And then Roman/Harbaugh made the foolish decision to go away from the run after the Titans got a lead. Nothing more, nothing less. I think just about everybody agreed on that. 

If you go after a guy like Taylor in the first couple of rounds then the plan has to be to get him carries immediately. Other it makes no sense at all given the current investment value at that position. Ingram was a monster for the Ravens this year and he only averaged a shade under 13.5 carries per game this season. Does Taylor/Swift/anybody come in and do more than that? I kind of really doubt it. So say you completely replace Edwards and his 8.3 carries per game. Now does spending a first/second round pick for that little use make a lot of sense? That's a tough sell. Especially when Edwards is already doing pretty well with those carries. Hill didn't get enough of a workload when Ingram was healthy to think about, but if his flashes the last couple weeks when he did get opportunities were anything to consider then he looks like a potential plus asset out of the backfield who will be eating into carries/backfield targets as well.

Ingram is 30 but the dude doesn't look like he's falling off a cliff. If that were a concern I think drafting a running back highly makes more sense. But it's not. The workload he's excelling with is pretty light and shouldn't wear down his body too much. And when the time does come in a year or two where that is something to think about then you draft a running back. It's not a position you draft and develop. It's one you plug-and-play immediately. 

That's where I'm coming from with the running back debates. I have no real problems with Taylor as a prospect, or Swift, or CEH - I think they could/will all succeed in the NFL. The Ravens aren't really hurting for what they bring to the table though. The team has other real, tangible needs that would be nice to see addressed. They are in a position to win now and getting as many talented bodies where they really need them would help. It's going to be a tough year for rookies to come in and make an impact right away but needs are needs. Running back is not one of them in any sort of direct or slightly indirect manner.

[Danand]

I agree with the above, and while I am not as high on Swift as compared to Dobbins, CEH and Taylor, I think they are all very talented players that would upgrade what we have in Edwards.

He is proven though, he is cheap and the investment in him draft wise is really small compared to drafting one of the best runningbacks - a high pick we really need to plug holes we have on the roster.

[diamondbull424]

Now I should preface this by saying that I suddenly find myself in camp Denzel Mims for our first pick because I think he’s got a high floor and high ceiling and is a perfect fit for our offense... so I say this because I’m not advocating for an elite RB as the BEST means of improving our offense.

However I think the thing that needs to be realized is that sure, the OL needs to be improved. Sure we need pass rush talents. But all I heard listed was how Gus is very stead and good. How Ingram was powerful and good. How Hill had some good last few weeks of the season.

If this team, due to some sort of WR run/BPA combination, miss out on the top layer of WR talent in the second round... going with Jonathan Taylor, a RB that could find himself on the Ezekiel Elliot/Chubb tier of RBs (he’s not as special as Saquan), that’s a way to take a team that had many strong pieces and take them over the top. As it stands defenses can adjust to Lamar by saying, “we’ll bank in containing Lamar as we know none of their RBs can take it to the House.” But just imagine when teams crash on Lamar and Taylor makes that first 90 yard run up the gut how that will throw their defensive strategies into disarray.

My opinion is that we need another special talent on offense to put it over the top to put this team on an AFCCG caliber level. We can fix the OL without drafting first round OL, the best guards in Ravens draft history were Marshal Yanda (3rd), Kelechi Osemele (2nd), and Edwin Mulitalo (4th). We have what 6 picks in those rounds? And it’s not as though we haven’t found great OL talent in those rounds recently with Orlando Brown Jr (3rd) being one of those finds. We’ve comprised the OL of UDFAs (Skura, Mekari, Hurst) and late round picks (Bozeman). Powers is the only quality drafted option. Just imagine what this team could do with a couple investments along the IOL with 6 picks between rounds 2-4.

My point? We don’t have to take an OL high just to take them high. If we have a shot at an elite RB, that’s an avenue to improve this team, especially considering other positions take longer to get up to speed. A back like Taylor would be elite at his press conference. We can figure out which backs to keep after we get done taking the BPA.

But again, I’m in the boat of Denzel Mims and as long as we can get one impact skill position player high in the draft that’s my only goal, would prefer it at WR, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Edited April 20, 2020 by diamondbull424

[Danand]

I am certainly not in the camp of "runningbacks don't" matter", but I think with how we have seen the position evolve the past couple of years, we have to make careful investments. Great players can be found in all rounds of the draft - and early draft picks isn't a sure thing, but they allow teams to take players with less concerns than later prospects. The concerns about Jonathan Taylor and CEH are very few, Taylor has mileage and lack of production in the passing game as the only things, while CEH has some pass blocking and top end speed concerns. 

If I could switch right now, having Taylor instead of Ingram and CEH instead of Edwards, jeez I would be happy. We can still run hard with a better chance of breaking a big run, and the immediate backup is a 3. down converter big time. If we need some speed, then we would have Hill as the third guy and also someone we can split out wide and run routes. 

BUT, the investment to make that happen is just too much, compared to what we can get from late round picks and UDFA's while having a chance to get better at every other position. In the right blocking scheme, UDFA Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert are great players that makes a difference. Could a Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley do it better? Most likely, but the blocking might not be as great because 49'ers doesn't have McGlinchey paving the way (I saw the 49'ers Ravens game yesterday and he was phenomenal).

Also, we don't know how our interior line might end up. We could look at Bozeman, Skura, Powers from left to right and while Powers most likely isn't Yanda, he could be an adequate player who is still developing and our oline could be solid and we could still run like we want to. 

[M.10.E]

When it comes to RB, if we're going to spend a high pick on one, they better be able to catch the ball very well. Ingram who's not the best pass catcher killed teams towards the end of last year receiving the ball (TD wise)

Edited April 20, 2020 by M.10.E

[Danand]

47 minutes ago, M.10.E said:

When it comes to RB, if we're going to spend a high pick on one, they better be able to catch the ball very well. Ingram who's not the best pass catcher killed teams towards the end of last year receiving the ball (TD wise)

Justice Hill also found some succes on swing passes. When he catches the ball in space and has room to run, he get upfield quick and we have to be able to use that more than we did last year.

[ravens5520]

I truly think with all the mock drafts and simulators, we have lost our way of the draft. Ravens Have so many early picks this year that our 1st rounder is a true wildcard. We can go any direction with BPA. Even if they trade back, I don’t think I’ll be mad. 
 

There is no position needing to reach on. I’m all in favor of drafting a pass rusher In the 1st. A month or two ago, I didn’t expect us to have many options at 28. Lately all the WRs and OT have been shooting up boards & mocks. That only pushes talents down to us. I truly see a pass rusher falling in our laps. Judon is still a huge wildcard in that area. Still shocked we haven’t heard anything in his front. 
 

@diamondbull424 hit my feelings on the head when it comes to interior offensive linemen. I’m huge on Robert Hunt and he will be an early to mid 3rd, unless he climbs in the next 4 days. I’d love to see us double dip a 3rd and 4th round linemen. One thing our scouts actually do well is scout quality linemen in the middle rounds. We might not find our Yanda this year, but trust the process to find quality starters 

[ravens5520]

5 minutes ago, Danand said:

Justice Hill also found some succes on swing passes. When he catches the ball in space and has room to run, he get upfield quick and we have to be able to use that more than we did last year.

We all knew JH had potential, but Ingram is healthy in the passing game. If we ever had to turn the reigns over to Edwards for a few weeks. I’d expect JH to increase into a Sproles role in the offense. Although I just don’t trust Roman to incorporate that style to well. 

[drd23]

Had Wills fall to 28 again.  I think this one might be even better

[sp6488]

1 hour ago, drd23 said:

Had Wills fall to 28 again.  I think this one might be even better

Almost looks like you turned the computer to "accept all trades" or something