Addressing Key Position May Prove 'Difficult' For Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens may have a difficult decision to make in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta speaks during a press conference during the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With less than a month to go until the 2025 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens should be well aware of their needs by now. By extension, they should also know that cornerback is at or near the top of that list.

The Ravens have two very strong corners in Nate Wiggins, who had a good debut season in 2024, and Marlon Humphrey, who had a career-high six interceptions and earned first-team All-Pro honors as primarily a slot corner. However, their other two cornerbacks in T.J. Tampa and Jalyn Armour-Davis are unproven. The former played just seven games in his rookie season and mostly appeared on special teams, while the latter has started three games in as many seasons.

They did just sign veteran Chidobe Awuzie on Monday, and he should be a nice addition to help replace the departed Brandon Stephens. Even still, pursuing another corner, particularly one who can play on the outside as to not overlap with Humphrey in the slot, could be a wise idea.

If the Ravens choose to do so in the NFL Draft, though, they could run into trouble.

The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec identified cornerback as the Ravens' biggest need (before the Awuzie signing, at least), but given their draft positioning, it may be difficult to find the right fit in the first round.

"It’s hard to look anywhere else but cornerback when you’re pinpointing the team’s biggest need," Zrebiec wrote. "It, however, might be the most difficult position to find a match at pick No. 27. ... It’s not a particularly deep cornerback class, so the Ravens will either have to strike early to get a plug-and-play guy, or they’ll have to find overlooked talent in the middle rounds."

Zrebiec named four cornerbacks as potential fits at No. 27: Michigan's Will Johnson, Texas' Jahdae Barron, Kentucky's Maxwell Hairston and Florida State's Azareye'h Thomas. However, the former two are projected to go long before the Ravens pick (Johnson is No. 6 on The Athletic's big board and Barron is No. 15), while the latter two might be reaches (Hairston is No. 38 and Thomas is No. 39).

Johnson and Barron could both fall to the Ravens, but they both have concerns. The former has some issues tackling, while the latter is seen as a nickel back and thus would overlap with Humphrey and/or versatile safety Kyle Hamilton.

A lot can change in the month between now and the draft, though, so maybe the Ravens will find a corner they fell good about drafting that high. However, they've never been one to reach for players just to fit a need.

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