Ravens Selection of LSU Linebacker Patrick Queen One of Those Perfect Marriages

There are those few picks in every NFL draft that once they're handed down and announced by the commissioner, you can't help but think, 'man that makes so much sense.' When the Baltimore Ravens selected LSU linebacker Patrick Queen with the No. 28 overall pick in last week's NFL draft, it felt like the perfect marriage.

“I feel like I’m going to bring everything to the table that their defense is known for – the passion, the aggression, total dominance as a defensive linebacker," Queen said after being selected. "There’s no one piece to my game; I’m bringing it all. So, I’m just ready to get there and turn it up.

“It’s a brotherhood over there. You’ve seen it from past teams with Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, all those types of guys. There’s just so much passion and brotherhood. That’s the biggest reason I wanted to join them," he said.

A late bloomer at LSU, Queen wasn't even listed as a starter at the beginning of the 2019 season. Breakout performances in the early stretch against Texas and Utah State flipped the switch as over the course of the Tigers' title run, Queen proved to be one of the dominant forces on the defensive side of the ball.

He saved the best for last, combining for 22 tackles, five of which went for a loss, and 1.5 sacks over LSU's postseason run against Georgia, Oklahoma and Clemson. For his eight tackle performance against Clemson in the national championship game, Queen earned Defensive Player of the Game honors.

Despite just one year as a full time starter for the Tigers, Queen doesn’t think he’s any less ready for the NFL. Queen was asked about his lack of starter experience after his selection came through.

"I don't really look at it as a big deal, anything can be fixed with studying," Queen said. "I'm a student of the game and I plan on asking for a lot of tips, a lot of pointers from those guys that have been there for a long time. I'm going to come in and really just be the best player that I can be."

An organization that has produced some of the great linebackers in NFL history including Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, Queen couldn't be walking into a much better situation in Baltimore. We reached out to RavenCountry publisher Todd Karpovich to get his thoughts on how Queen best fits into the Ravens' defense.

Queen was not only the highest-rated player on the Ravens’ draft board at that spot, but he also satisfied the most glaring need on the current roster at inside linebacker. Queen will enter training camp atop the depth chart and he’s fully ready to meet those lofty expectations.

Entering the draft, Baltimore had L.J. Fort, Chris Board and Otaro Alaka as the only inside linebackers on the roster. Baltimore also added Jake Ryan pending a physical, but he has battled knee injuries over the past two seasons.

This means Queen has the opportunity to step in immediately and make an impact. He and Malik Harrison, a third-round pick from Ohio State, will patrol the middle of the field in a 3-4 defense with Matt Judon and Jaylon Ferguson as the outside linebackers.

Not only was Queen a part of an LSU draft class that made history with 14 players selected last weekend, tying Ohio State's record in 2004, he also made a little Ravens history as well. Queen became the first drafted LSU player in the 24-year history of the Baltimore Ravens.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh had nothing but glowing things to say about his team's first round selection.

"He really is legit," Harbaugh said. "He's a young guy coming on as a first-year starter there. He's come up from a small high school. He played running back in high school. He started making the calls toward the end of the year.

"His best football is in front of him, and he has some really good tape behind him this year."

Queen's quickness, ability to play sideline to sideline and make plays in the backfield will make him an instant fan favorite in Baltimore, a fan base that has become used to watching elite defensive play. The 20-year-old LSU linebacker is the next in line and should earn ample playing time as a rookie.