Baltimore Ravens NFL Team Column

By: John L. Clarke 2008 Post NFL Draft Coverage

2008 NFL Draft Class

Round 1 (pick 19) – Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware (6’7”, 235 lbs.)

With only Kyle Boller and Troy Smith on the roster, a QB was needed.  Flacco has a lot of upside with his arm strength, height and quick throwing motion.  Typically, guys of his height do not pan out well due to their lack of athleticism, but others such as Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino, Peyton Manning and Derek Andersen have had success and were all over 6’5”.  For every Marino and Manning, there is a John Navarre and Andrew Walter sitting on the bench blocking the view of the fans from the 10th row on down.  I think it was really high to get Flacco (whom seemed more like a 2nd rounder) , but having Cam Cameron as your offensive coordinator and a running back like Wills McGahee, he has a fighting chance.  Look for Flacco to sit most of the year behind Kyle Boller, however, until Boller gets hurt.

Round 2 (pick 55) – Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers (5’8”, 200 lbs.)

This was an appropriate pick.  Other than the standouts, Darren McFadden and Rashard Mendenhall, the RB class was very deep.  Rice, however, was in the 2nd tier in terms of talent within the class, and was, again, a need for the Ravens backfield.  He may be short, but he has outstanding power and balance, with very underrated speed.  With no depth behind McGahee, this was a great pick.  Rice can spell McGahee from day one and the offense shouldn’t lose any momentum during a game with Rice coming in.  Look for Rice to have a rookie season similar to the Jaguar’s Maurice Jones-Drew.

Round 3 (pick 71) – Tavares Gooden, LB, Miami (6’1”, 233 lbs.)

With the LB core aging, some youth was needed.  This was another smart pick by the Ravens.  Gooden was a very productive LB on a bad Miami team.  Although not as good as Jon Beason, he has the instincts and athleticism to contribute as a special teamer and fill in at ILB.   He has the ability to start in the next few years.  Gooden will have an excellent mentor in another former Hurricane that also happens to be a 6’1” LB and donned the #52 jersey as Gooden did in College, Ray Lewis.

Round 3 (pick 86) – Tom Zbikowski, DB, Notre Dame (5’11”, 210 lbs.)

Although I like Zbikowski, I thought he as a tad overrated coming out of his senior year.  I knew that in order for him to reach his potential as a pro, he would have to go to a team that would highlight his football attributes…the Ravens were one of those teams.  Coach John Harbaugh was a former special teams and Defensive Back coach that emphasized toughness which fits Tommy Z.  Although he will be relegated to special teams at first, he provides much needed depth and will be able to contribute in Dime packages.  He will need to learn the speed of the game and take better angles to the ball, but has other intangibles to make contributions early in his career.  Having Ed Reed as a mentor can’t hurt either.

Round 3 (pick 99) – Oneil Cousins, OG, Texas El-Paso (6’4”, 308 lbs.)

This pick was more for depth and potential than anything else.  Cousins’ has some intriguing measurables, but is not ready to play in the league at least for 3 years.  He started as a defensive tackle in college and then shifted to offense.  He is still learning the nuances of being an offensive lineman.  He will be a solid backup if he keeps his work ethic up and learns quickly, but won’t be a factor until year 3.

Round 4 (pick 108) – Marcus Smith, WR, New Mexico (6’2”, 221 lbs.)

With the Flacco selection, the Ravens need to get some talent around him.  Derrick Mason can tutor Smith and Yamon Figurs to become what he is, a reliable receiver.  If Figures can refine his receiving skills using his blazing speed, and Mark Clayton can become more of a threat consistently, then the addition of Smith could really open things up.  He has great size and hands, but his lack of speed and the adjustment to the pro game is an uphill battle.

Round 4 (pick 133) – David Hale, OT, Weber State (6’6”, 308 lbs.)

With the looming retirement of Jonathan Ogden, there are several candidates to replace him in the very near future.  Hale is a run blocking mauler that will add more competition to the race.  Although he will probably not be a starter this or next year, he can provide some valuable looks on the practice squad, and depth is never a bad thing.  May have been taken too early, but could develop into a solid right tackle with coaching.

Round 6 (pick 206) – Haruki Nakamura, DB, Cincinnati (5’10”, 190 lbs.)

He is a legit football player.  He is going to be a very valuable special teamer in the mold of teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo, but will have a hard time getting in the rotation at the safety spot due to his average speed and tightness in his hips.  He will be a good teammate and should make the team better.

Round 7 (pick 215) – Justin Harper, WR, Virginia Tech (6’4”, 198 lbs.)

Has everything you look for in a receiver; tall, fast and good hands.  So why is a Division I receiver with those traits going in the 7th round?  Answer: His stats in 4 years: 83 catches 1,338  yards and 8 touchdowns.  Great stats if it was within a 13 game schedule instead of a 51 game career.  He is still an intriguing specimen and could be a better pro than college athlete. 

Round 7 (pick 240) – Allen Patrick, RB, Oklahoma (6’1”, 198 lbs.)

Patrick will be a good change of pace back behind the tough, but quick MacGahee and the quick, but tough Rice.  He had nice production at Oklahoma and will contribute in the run game as well as special teams.  He is more of a jack of all trades back, not really special in one category, but solid in all phases.  He could add about 8-10 lbs. of muscle to make a legit case to move from 3rd string and get heavy playing time.

Overview:

This draft class is in the mold of its new head coach.  He is building through special teams, toughness and depth…things that usually translate into a successful team.  They filled some holes, although not addressing the depth at corner could pose a problem in the future.  This draft class has the makings of very smart choices by the front office, but only time will tell.

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2008 NFL Post Draft Analysis

Round 1 (pick 19) – Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware (6’7”, 235 lbs.)

With only Kyle Boller and Troy Smith on the roster, a QB was needed.  Flacco has a lot of upside with his arm strength, height and throwing motion.  Typically, guys of his height do not pan out well due to their lack of athleticism, but others such as Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino, Peyton Manning and Derek Andersen have had success and were all over 6’5”.  For every Marion and Manning, there is a John Navarre and Andrew Walter sitting on the bench blocking the view of the fans from the 10th row on down.  I think it was really high to get Flacco, but having Cam Cameron as your offensive coordinator and a running back like Wills McGahee, you have a fighting chance.  Look for Flacco to sit most of the year behind Kyle Boller until he gets hurt.

Round 2 (pick 55) – Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers (5’8”, 200 lbs.)

This was an outstanding pick.  Other than the standouts, Darren McFadden and Rashard Mendenhall, the RB class was very deep.  Rice, however, was in the 2nd tier in terms of talent within the class.  He may be short, but he has outstanding power and balance, with very underrated speed.  With no depth behind McGahee, this was a great pick.  Rice can spell McGahee from day one and the offense shouldn’t lose any momentum during a game with Rice coming in.  Look for Rice to have a rookie season similar to the Jaguar’s Maurice Jones-Drew. 

Round 3 (pick 71) – Tavares Gooden, LB, Miami (6’1”, 233 lbs.)

With the LB core aging, some youth was needed.  This was another smart pick by the Ravens.  Gooden was a very productive LB on a bad Miami team.  Although not as good as Jon Beason, he has the instincts and athleticism to contribute as a special teamer and fill in at ILB.   He has the ability to start in the next few years.  Gooden will have an excellent mentor in another former Hurricane that also happens to be a 6’1” LB and donned the #52 jersey as Gooden did in College, Ray Lewis.

Round 3 (pick 86) – Tom Zbikowski, DB, Notre Dame (5’11”, 210 lbs.)

Although I like Zbikowski, I thought he as a tad overrated coming out of his senior year.  I knew that in order for him to reach his potential as a pro, he would have to go to a team that would highlight his football attributes…the Ravens were one of those teams.  Coach John Harbaugh was a former special teams and Defensive Back coach that emphasized toughness which fits Tommy Z.  Although he will be relegated to special teams at first, he provides much needed depth and will be able to contribute in Dime packages.  He will need to learn the speed of the game and take better angles to the ball, but has other intangibles to make contributions early in his career.

Round 3 (pick 99) – Oneil Cousins, OG, Texas El-Paso (6’4”, 308 lbs.)

This pick was for much needed depth.  Cousins’ has some intriguing measurables, but is not ready to play in the league at least for 3 years.  He started as a defensive tackle in college and then shifted to offense…he is still earning the nuances of being an offensive lineman.  He will be a solid backup if he keeps his work ethic up and learns quickly.

Round 4 (pick 108) – Marcus Smith, WR, New Mexico (6’2”, 221 lbs.)

With the Flacco selection, the Ravens need to get some talent around him.  Derrick Mason can tutor Smith and Yamon Figurs to become what he is, a reliable receiver.  If Figures can refine his receiving skills using his blazing speed, and Mark Clayton can become more of a threat consistently, then the addition of Smith could really open things up.  He has great size and hands, but his lack of speed and the adjustment to the pro game is an uphill battle.

Round 4 (pick 133) – David Hale, OT, Weber State (6’6”, 308 lbs.)

With the looming retirement of Jonathan Ogden, there are several candidates to replace him in the very near future.  Hale is run blocking mauler that will add more competition to the race.  Although he will probably never be a starter, he can provide some valuable looks on the practice squad, and depth at the o-line positions is never a bad thing.  May have been taken to early, but could develop into a solid right tackle.

Round 6 (pick 206) – Haruki Nakamura, DB, Cincinnati (5’10”, 190 lbs.)

He is a legit football player.  He is going to be a very valuable special teamer in the mold of teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo, but will have a hard time getting in the rotation at the safety spot due to his average speed and tightness in his hips.  He will be a good teammate and should make the team better.

Round 7 (pick 215) – Justin Harper, WR, Virginia Tech (6’4”, 198 lbs.)

Has everything you look for in a receiver; tall, fast and good hands.  So why is a Division I receiver with those traits going in the 7th round?  His stats as a basically a 4 year starter: 83 catches 1,338  yards and 8 touchdowns.  Great stats if it was within a 13 game schedule instead of a 51 game career.  He is still an intriguing specimen and could be a better pro than college athlete.

Round 7 (pick 240) – Allen Patrick, RB, Oklahoma (6’1”, 198 lbs.)

Will be a good change of pace back behind the tough, but quick MacGahee and the quick, but tough Rice.  He had nice production at Oklahoma and will contribute in the run game as well as special teams.  He is more of a jack of all trades back, not really special in one category, but solid in all phases.  He could add about 8-10 lbs. of muscle to make a legit case to move from 3rd string and get heavy playing time.

Overall, this draft class is in the mold of its new head coach.  He is building through special teams, toughness and depth…things that usually translate into a successful team.  This draft class has the makings of very smart choices by the front office, but only time will tell.

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RB – Willis McGahee tried to rejuvenate the Ravens running game, and was successful for the most part. McGahee’s size, speed and focus on winning really woke up a dormant offense in 2007. With a younger offensive line, the power running game can be sky rocket toward supremacy once again. Backups are need. With the Ravens cutting loose former Rookie of the Year Mike Andersen, and Musa Smith being a Free Agent, there is little left in terms of experience at the running back (RB) position. This is crucial, as this team is going to live and die by the run with the QB position being questionable and the receivers being average. With such a deep RB class, the Ravens can use a 3^rd/4th round pick on a dependable backup. Another pick up in Free Agency would be a smart move as well, since McGahee is going to need his rest in order to produce consistently.

With Figurs inexperience, Mason’s age and Clayton more of a possession receiver, the Ravens could look to make some moves in Free Agency or acquire a big receiver (such as James Hardy, Adarius Bowman or even Justin Harper) in the draft to balance out the receiving corp.

LB- Always one the biggest strengths of any position in the history of the Ravens, now they leave town early (ala Adalius Thomas) or are getting aging rapidly (although you’d never know the way Ray Lewis hits). New Coach John Harbough will probably go after a ‘tweener in the 3^rd round of this year’s draft to help the depth and athleticism of the OLB positions. Jarrett Johnson is serviceable, but not a starter. Terrell Suggs is a great OLB, however having the franchise tag on him indicates that he may not be around next year. Guys such as Bruce Davis from UCLA and Shawn Crable from Michigan would be interesting prospects to select toward the later rounds.

I am very interested to see Prescott Burgess compete this year. He was a standout for the University of Michigan and can play all 4 positions. Look for his name to be inserted into the starting lineup this year. Bart Scott regressed this past year, but he is an intense tackler that may be hard to bench. There are also several interesting ILB prospects, such as Curtis Lofton (a perfect fit for the 3-4 ILB position) and Jonathan Goff whom will be available in the later rounds.

DB – With names like, Ed Reed, Chris McAllister and Samari Rolle, one may think that this position is locked up. Age and depth, much like everywhere on this once stellar defense, is a factor. Reed is still one of the best Free Safety’s in the game, but he is better when he can just roam the field and use his instints. McAllister and Rolle are still very good CB’s, by Rolle will never be the starter he once was due to his bout with seizures. A good young CB, like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Leodis McKelvin, would provide a much needed youthful energy in the defensive backfield. This pick should be the first issue that is addressed with a deep draft and a high pick.

Dawan Laundry is not as electric as his brother (LaRon Landry of the Washington Redskins), but he is a solid strong safety. Safety is a weak class this year, but a project like Tom Zbikowski or Marcus Griffin may be a perfect fit as a serviceable backup. Both can play the SS/FS positions which need to be interchangeable in the Harbough type defense.

Baltimore Ravens (13-3 in 2006; 1^st in AFC North)

OL- The once proud and feared offensive line of the Baltimore Ravens is now in need of an overhaul.  The tackle position is on life support as Tony Pashos has already left the team and Jonathan Ogden, the face for all left tackles for the past decade, is considering hanging up the cleats.  That being said, guards and a center are also needed to bolster the Ravens O-Line.  They need to establish their running game dominance that they use to own in the past.  They should look to the 2007 NFL Draft for some big tackles that can also play guard.  If they use the 29th pick they could be looking at Justin Blalock, Aaron Sears or Tony Ugoh.  With centers being a rare commodity in the early rounds, USC’s Ryan Kalili could go as early as the 1^st round.  He is a proven leader and winner, which is important for the center position.  Kalil has a nice pedigree, having followed in his father’s steps, a good center himself for both the NFL and the USFL in the early 80’s.  He can also switch to guard if Mike Flynn holds onto his job.  In order to play “Billick Ball”, you need a smart and tough offensive line.  Any of the above could contribute right away.

If any coach is going to make some early 1^st round moves on O-Linemen, Coach Brian Billick has the stones to do it.  He will always stick to his blueprint of what made him and the Ravens Super Bowl winners: a tough, ball controlled offense, an attacking defense and leaders that emerge in any situation.   He always blends a nice compliment of veteran players and younger guys, whom win on brains and the relentless pursuit of perfection.

WR/TE- Last year Mark Clayton, whom reminds some of a younger Marvin Harrison due to his consistent hands, precise route running and great work ethic, needs help.  With McNair leading this team and getting older (both he is excelling at), and with Todd Heap producing, when he is healthy, they need another threat.  Derrick Mason is a great veteran, but his numbers have declined steadily as he gets older.  Being in his early 30’s (33) means that his best days are behind him.   A tall threat to distract the opponents Safety’s from Heap, mainly a possession kind of guy, is what Steve McNair tends to like.  Although Heap is in the top 3 in his position in the league, he needs a little better depth behind him due to his history of injuries and the tendency for both McNair and Boller to check down to the TE a lot during the course of a season.  With the o-line beginning to waiver as previously mentioned, a blocking TE would come in handy. 

As far as picking up some quality WR’s in the 2007 NFL Draft is concerned, look for the Ravens to pick up a receiver in the 3^rd or 4^th rounds after other areas are addressed. A big WR that has the physical tools to be a nice compliment opposite Clayton would be Dewayne Bowe.  Bowe is not a burner by any means, but he is a first down producer and a threat in the red zone.  He would be more than likely available at spot #29 in the NFL Draft.  A WR with some moxie and talent, such as Anthony Gonzalez, would be a great pick in the first round , but getting a quality rookie can be done in later rounds as well.  Illinois State’s Laurent Robinson is shooting up the draft charts and could be a sleeper as is Johnnie Lee Higgins, from U.T.E.P.

LB- Always one the biggest strengths of any position in the history of the Ravens, now they leave town early (ala Adalius Thomas) or are getting a little long in the tooth (although, like most running backs in the league, I am still scared of Ray Lewis regardless of age).  Once Billick fills some glaring holes via the NFL Draft, he might take a chance on some LB’s in the 2^nd day rounds such as, Dallas Sartz, a tall playmaker or Michigan’s Prescott Burgess, whom could play either ILB or OLB.  As far as 1^st day LB’s are concerned, Tim Shaw of Penn State would be an EXCELLENT Raven.  He is a quite, confident team player.  He has played both OLB and DE so he fits the scheme and has the physical attributes to contribute on special teams right away.  Lawrence Timmons is another guy whose stock has dropped due to height and timed speed issues, but is a missile on the field.  You will hear his name attached to the sentence, “…was injured after a jarring hit from Timmons...” a lot in the future.

RB - Having another playmaker on offense in Willis McGahee just made the most balanced team in the NFL just that much better.  Expect McGahee, barring injury, to be in the top 3 in rushing yards this season.  McGahee has 3 big backups in Musa Smith (6-1, 230 lbs.), Mike Andersen (6, 230 lbs.) whom is a former 1,000 yard rusher and P.J. Daniels whom is a solid 5-10, 214 lbs. bruiser.  Just the kind of guys to play that grinding style of offense.

QB - With Steve McNair playing “Air” McNair kind of ball again and his understudy, Kyle Boller, being able to learn from one of the best, the QB position is as solid as it can be.  McNair is still the consummate professional.  He is what a football player is suppose to be; tough, smart and willing to put it all on the line for an a win.  Boller, the 19^th pick overall in the 2003 NFL Draft, has all the athletic tools to be a winner.  He has the arm strength and mobility of McNair, but needs to acquire McNair’s toughness and leadership mentality in order to separate himself from average into a winner.

The Ravens have been successful the last few years in the draft.  The management team of Billick, General Manager Ozzie Newsome and Director of Scouting Eric DeCosta has really been able to stick to successful technique of drafting players.  The Ravens are a solid team all around, but they could shore up some depth at S, CB, and NT.  The Ravens are known to take the best player available so any of these positions could be picked up early.  With two 4^th round, 5^th round and 6^th round choices, they can definitely get some depth or trade two of those picks for an early 3^rd round.

Out of the 13 players taken in the 1^st round since 1996, there has been 33 Pro Bowls so far between them all.  An impressive number for any professional sports league over a 10 year span.  Players such as 2006’s pick of Haloti Ngata (All-Rookie DT of ’06), 2003’s pick of Terrell Suggs (’03 Defensive Rookie of the year) and 2002’s pick of perennial Pro Bowler Ed Reed ('04 NFL Defensive Player of the Year in his 1st 4 NFL seasons... Also named 1st-team All-Pro by AP, C&PFWA, Football Digest and All-Conference and All-NFL by PFW in '04) are why the Ravens are contenders to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this season.

For questions or comments contact  Ravens Team Columnist: John Clarke

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