Ravens Get High Grades with Day 2 Surprise
Expect the unexpected with the Ravens during the NFL Draft.
They usually have a surprise selection and this year was no different.
Despite solid depth at running back, general manager Eric DeCosta could not pass on Ohio State's J.K. Dobbins with the 55th overall selection.
The Ravens will find a way to get the dynamic player involved in an attack that broke the NFL's single-season rushing record last season.
"I think with our offense we want to add as many talented guys as we can at skill positions," DeCosta said. "You guys have watched us over the last couple years and specifically last year, and we're a team that likes to run the football.
"So, having running backs is really, really important. This was a guy that was, in my opinion, one of the very best in college football this year. He's a very talented guy with electric skills and played at a very high level in a really good conference [on] one of the best teams in college football, so we're excited to get him. He fits us, and I think he's going to be a guy that is going to be a dangerous player for us and give us the depth to do what we like to do.”
Baltimore also satisfied a couple of glaring needs by taking Texas wide receiver Devin Duvernay and Mississippi State offensive guard Tyre Phillips. The Ravens also added valuable depth at inside linebacker with Ohio State's Malik Harrison.
Texas A&M defensive tackle Justin Madubuike will add even more talent to a unit that already has Calais Campbell, Derek Wolfe and Bradon Williams.
Here are some of the Day 2 (rounds two and three) grades:
- Sports Illustrated's Andy Benoit gave Baltimore a B+: He said: "The Ravens absolutely love Mark Ingram because he is a highly professional runner. He goes exactly where the play is designed to go, he gets there with just the right tempo and he consistently finishes with enough power and tenacity to muster an extra yard or two. When you have one of the best-designed ground games in football, that’s all you could want from a back. Almost certainly, the Ravens see Dobbins in a similar light as Ingram (who, it should be noted, will turn 32 in December and is in the final year of his contract next year)."
- Chad Reuter, of NFL.com. gave Baltimore a solid A. His notes: "The Ravens already had some depth at running back and certainly could have used the second-round pick they acquired in the Hayden Hurst trade with Atlanta elsewhere, instead of spending it on Dobbins. Mark Ingram is 30 years old, though. Dobbins' ability to matriculate the ball down the field with powerful, low-center-of-gravity running will fit quite well in Baltimore's run-heavy system. He can also catch consistently to give Lamar Jackson a nice safety valve. Madubuike is a quality defensive lineman, giving the team more bulk inside along with Brandon Williams, Daylon Mack, etc. Duvernay is a good slot receiver who can play the Willie Snead role in time, complementing Hollywood Brown and Miles Boykin. Baltimore found another value pick at linebacker in the athletic Harrison after shoring up that position on Thursday night with first-rounder Patrick Queen. Phillips is a massive human who played tackle at Mississippi State but projects as a powerful guard for the Ravens. He showed nice value inside at the Senior Bowl, and I suspect he'll eventually be a good starter."
- Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News gave the Ravens an A+ for taking Dobbins. His analysis: "The Ravens catch an absolute steal for their league-leading running game. Mark Ingram is 30, and both Gus Edwards and Justice Hill aren’t complete backs. Dobbins (5-9, 209 pounds) has great quickness, agility and ability to read blockers. He is an adept receiver with explosive burst once he sees a hole, hits it and gets into the open field." ... Iyer's other grades are other grades are: Madubuike (A), Duvernay (B), Harrison (A+) and Phillips (B).
- Eric Edholm, of Yahoo Sports, gave the Ravens a B+ for Dobbins in Round Two. "ove the value here, getting a player who should have gone 15-20 picks earlier. Dobbins is a hard-nosed runner and a perfect replacement for Mark Ingram in time — in fact, that’s the player he reminds me of most. Lamar Jackson has another toy to play with." ... Edholm's other grades are: Madubuike (B+), Duvernay (B), Harrison (B) and Phillips (C-).
