2018 draft talk

[Ballimore]

Of course we’re showing interest in Allen. I now realize we only draft QB’s that have the strongest arm in their class or decorated African-American QB’s that seem to slide in the later portions of the draft.

 

[AFlaccoSeagulls]

50 minutes ago, Ballimore said:

Of course we’re showing interest in Allen. I now realize we only draft QB’s that have the strongest arm in their class or decorated African-American QB’s that seem to slide in the later portions of the draft.

Lamar Jackson to the Ravens confirmed?

[diamondbull424]

Now I can definitely get behind this idea. But only if he’s there in the third round.?

[DreamKid]

7 hours ago, diamondbull424 said:

The fact that this cluster of backs should be falling somewhere around the second to third round, makes me want to trade down in the first if someone like Derwin James (or another 5 star prospect) isn’t available.

You still high enough on Taven Bryan to stick around at 16 for him?

[Ballimore]

Man..I have a huge man crush on Kalen Ballage. If that’s not David Johnson all over again! He looked special in his limited reps in the SR bowl. I’m aboard with taking him in the 2nd round. He’s exactly what the Ravens need behind Collins. 

[diamondbull424]

On 1/26/2018 at 5:55 PM, DreamKid said:

You still high enough on Taven Bryan to stick around at 16 for him?

I was rewatching him and he’s impactful. And I wouldn’t be against taking him there. Probably one of the few picks there that could make sense. But I just like that 2nd-3rd round value too much in this draft. So if we can add extra picks, I’m much higher on that. I think there’s multiple probowl level talents to be had in that range. And from there it will simply be about development.

[DreamKid]

2 hours ago, diamondbull424 said:

I was rewatching him and he’s impactful. And I wouldn’t be against taking him there. Probably one of the few picks there that could make sense. But I just like that 2nd-3rd round value too much in this draft. So if we can add extra picks, I’m much higher on that. I think there’s multiple probowl level talents to be had in that range. And from there it will simply be about development.

Taven's ability to disrupt the pocket immediately is rare and if he weren't so one note at this point with his technique, we wouldn't have a shot at him. Our pass rush fell off at times last year in critical situations and he's a guy that makes all other rushers around him better but I wonder if the FO would have the chutzpah to select a DI that early. Henry is an ascending player for us, Kaufusi collects bust dust, and they proved to be inept and inefficient at properly fielding a deep edge group last year which doesn't build much enthusiasm for adding a player in Taven that would fit in with the team much like Tyus did last year. That would be my worry, we draft him and then he doesn't the field enough, but seeing our edge players hunting down scattered QBs after Taven knifes through the line would be sooo fun. He just feels like a Raven too.

I agree, we could flesh out our offensive core for years to come with multiple picks in those rounds, it's that kind of draft.

[DreamKid]

Well Senior Bowl week is over and boy did Jaleel do they exact opposite of what I thought he would during it. I think he firmly locked himself into the 5th-6th round range with a just abysmal week. On tape his hands are easy, consistent, and strong, but all week he dropped about 90% of what was thrown to him. It's one thing to go the the Senior Bowl and have known weaknesses or deficiencies rear their head, like a corners long speed or a technique issue for a lineman, but it's another thing entirely to consistently exhibit new flaws to your game that scouts and onlookers didn't anticipate.

It was like a self imposed psychological sabotage on his part, routine catches hitting the ground over and over again. I've watched the Senior Bowl practices and game for 10+ years and can't quite remember a player I liked that much and was that high on just imploding the way he did. Oh well, grown man's league, if you can't handle the pressure and lights you don't belong.

Justin Watson WR from Penn played lights out really rising to the occasion and Gallup also picked up a lot of steam throughout the process. I think 16 will end up being too rich for anyone but Ridley in the FO's eyes and we may get screwed out of guys like Gallup, Washington etc who go -ping- -ping- -ping- right up ahead of our second round pick.

[diamondbull424]

10 hours ago, Ballimore said:

Man..I have a huge man crush on Rashaad Penny. If that’s not Shaun Alexander all over again! He looked special in his limited reps in the SR bowl. I’m aboard with taking him in the 2nd round. He’s exactly what the Ravens need AHEAD Collins. 

FIFY?

Rashaad Penny just solidied with the senior bowl that he is indeed the second best running back in this class. I was a little nervous about giving him that high of props over such names as Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and Darrius Guice because they’re considered in higher regard by draftniks, but I’m keeping my rankings there.

In terms of Kalen Ballage, he’s an interesting specimen. Big, strong, with really good hands. But I don’t like his RB vision. He doesn’t have that RB spidey sense. He’ll probably kill it as a downhill back in a zone blocking scheme though.

[Danand]

2 hours ago, diamondbull424 said:

FIFY?

Rashaad Penny just solidied with the senior bowl that he is indeed the second best running back in this class. I was a little nervous about giving him that high of props over such names as Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and Darrius Guice because they’re considered in higher regard by draftniks, but I’m keeping my rankings there.

In terms of Kalen Ballage, he’s an interesting specimen. Big, strong, with really good hands. But I don’t like his RB vision. He doesn’t have that RB spidey sense. He’ll probably kill it as a downhill back in a zone blocking scheme though.

Can Penny pass protect? Because from what I saw basically after Daniel Jeremiah started pimping him a few months ago, he looks like a great complimentary piece to what we currently have. If he could just run less upright though.

[diamondbull424]

5 hours ago, Danand said:

Can Penny pass protect? Because from what I saw basically after Daniel Jeremiah started pimping him a few months ago, he looks like a great complimentary piece to what we currently have. If he could just run less upright though.

The running upright style doesn’t bother me. A lot of great backs did it:

Adrian Peterson, Shaun Alexander, Jamal Lewis

Just to name a few. In terms of pass protection. He’s solid but not spectacular. The Boise State tape shows some of his pass protection skills, since they did such an excellent job of shutting down the run, he was asked to protect a bit more.

[paraven]

14 hours ago, DreamKid said:

Well Senior Bowl week is over and boy did Jaleel do they exact opposite of what I thought he would during it. I think he firmly locked himself into the 5th-6th round range with a just abysmal week. On tape his hands are easy, consistent, and strong, but all week he dropped about 90% of what was thrown to him. It's one thing to go the the Senior Bowl and have known weaknesses or deficiencies rear their head, like a corners long speed or a technique issue for a lineman, but it's another thing entirely to consistently exhibit new flaws to your game that scouts and onlookers didn't anticipate.

It was like a self imposed psychological sabotage on his part, routine catches hitting the ground over and over again. I've watched the Senior Bowl practices and game for 10+ years and can't quite remember a player I liked that much and was that high on just imploding the way he did. Oh well, grown man's league, if you can't handle the pressure and lights you don't belong.

Justin Watson WR from Penn played lights out really rising to the occasion and Gallup also picked up a lot of steam throughout the process. I think 16 will end up being too rich for anyone but Ridley in the FO's eyes and we may get screwed out of guys like Gallup, Washington etc who go -ping- -ping- -ping- right up ahead of our second round pick.

This is why im thinking Ozzie trades down this year.

[Danand]

4 hours ago, diamondbull424 said:

The running upright style doesn’t bother me. A lot of great backs did it:

Adrian Peterson, Shaun Alexander, Jamal Lewis

Just to name a few. In terms of pass protection. He’s solid but not spectacular. The Boise State tape shows some of his pass protection skills, since they did such an excellent job of shutting down the run, he was asked to protect a bit more.

Guess I will take a look at that game then. He offers something we don't have, and yet a pick of him in the 2. round seems a little too rich for me. Somehow I want to get us a reliable wide receiver, a tackle and then a TE like Troy Fumagalli or Goedert. Then we should have a pick in the late 3. round to spend on a runningback and I still doubt Penny last that long.

[diamondbull424]

36 minutes ago, Danand said:

Guess I will take a look at that game then. He offers something we don't have, and yet a pick of him in the 2. round seems a little too rich for me. Somehow I want to get us a reliable wide receiver, a tackle and then a TE like Troy Fumagalli or Goedert. Then we should have a pick in the late 3. round to spend on a runningback and I still doubt Penny last that long.

Penny would be worth it. I guarantee that he has elite running back qualities. This class has a lot of high quality backs. Guys that could be pro bowlers. And I think he has the second/third best chance of those guys to be a star. Darrius Guice would be #2 but his durability is concerning plus has less deep speed. And Penny was able to largely escape taking a collegiate beating because be was only the feature back for the final year of his career. It’s also why I like Sony Michel more than Chubb, even though Chubb is arguably more talented. Though I digress.

Penny would upgrade Alex Collins in every facet. Explosion (similar), power/finishing runs, deep speed, pass blocking, and most importantly hands. We need playmakers everywhere on offense, so no skill position should be safe.

I understand wanting to get an OT, WR, and TE. But I’d rather wait and get the OT and TE later unless we have a shot at an elite RT in round one because we have a great OL coach already and I’d much rather have an above average RT than simply have ONLY an above average running back. Again because we need playmakers. And if I had to choose between an elite playmaker and an elite olineman, with how bare our cupboard is, I choose the elite playmaker.

IMO Penny is can’t miss... and with his last name his marketability will also be of note. He also is a solid interviewer, I can imagine him now along with Tucker as one of the faces of Royal Farms (gas and quick food chain popular in east coast states).?

Edit: And by solid, I mean solid compared to other collegiate backs... which unless they go to a major program or have crappy hands, that’s usually the biggest thing they all need to work on going into the NFL. He does just enough to generally not get his QB killed when there’s an incoming blitzer. But he simply pops them and is inconsistent with staying on them for awhile to buy time.

————————————

Oh and in terms of Fumagali, not a fan. He’s one of the best run blockers in this class and catches well. But he’s just not athletic enough to be much more of a threat than what we already have IMO. In order my top TEs at the moment would probably be:

Dallas Goedert, Hayden Hurst (25), Mike Gesicki, Mark Andrews, n/a.

[diamondbull424]

18 hours ago, paraven said:

This is why im thinking Ozzie trades down this year.

Agreed. There’s just too much day 2 talent for us to not grab as many offensive playmakers as possible. Hopefully one of the top QB prospects slip to #16 because I think that’s where a worthwhile could present itself. That said if all the top QBs go in the top 15 picks, I like our chances with either Derwin James or Connor Williams falling. Both of whom are elite caliber prospects.