Ravens Owner Details Hands-On Draft Process

Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti typically takes a hands-off approach to running the team, and it's a big reason why they've been one of the more successful teams throughout his tenure.

That all changes when the NFL Draft rolls around, however.

Bisciotti, 64, is actually a huge fan of the NFL Draft. During a joint interview with John Harbaugh, Bisciotti even recalled when he and his head coach were on a call discussing under-the-radar wide receiver prospects, showing how much he truly enjoys this time of year.

"I just love it," Bisciotti said, per the Ravens' website. "That's my hobby on top of my main hobby. That's my offseason hobby."

The Ravens have consistently drafted well in and out of the first round, which has played a large role in their success.

In fact, their consistent success in the draft influences their strategy in free agency. Due to them drafting and developing so well, they usually only opt to keep their very best free agents around, as they know they can replace others through the draft. The fact that they've received more compensatory picks than any other team in the league just goes to show how well these strategies go hand-in-hand.

"We have a budget and we quickly burn through it," Bisciotti said. "You know going in you're going to have more free agents that you want than you have money to spend on."

"I tell people, 'That's my money. That's our money.' But the draft is already in Eric [DeCosta's] budget. So I say the Draft is like going Christmas shopping with somebody else's credit card. That's how exciting it is."

Obviously, the final decisions for draft picks are in DeCosta's hands, but everyone in the room has a voice throughout draft season. The fact that Bisciotti follows the draft so closely only helps the decision-making process.

"I love watching these guys," Bisciotti said. "I can't believe some succeed and I can't believe some fail. When I go through the people that we've loved – I've loved more than you (Harbaugh), you've loved more than me – and some of them are great and some of them you think, 'How did that guy fail?'"

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