Who Moves Into Role As Ravens Third Running Back?

Three players vying for a spot.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens will have an intriguing battle at running back for the third spot behind J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards.

Justice Hill, Mike Davis and sixth-round pick Tyler Badie are vying for that spot, and so far, each of those players has flashed during OTAs.

This week's mandatory minicamp will begin proving more clarity to the situation. 

Here's the breakdown.

Justice Hill

Analysis: Hill was selected by the Ravens in the fourth round (113th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent the entire 2021 season on IR with an injured Achilles. Hill appeared in 12 games in 2020, totaling a team-high nine special teams tackles and producing one forced fumble. He also tallied 80 scrimmage yards on 12 carries and 5 catches. 

Outlook: Hill is a valuable member of the Ravens' special teams, which gives him an advantage for a roster spot. However, he will need to excel in training camp to secure a place on the team. 

Mike Davis

Analysis: Last season with the Falcons, Davis ran for 503 yards on 138 carries with three touchdowns. He also caught 44 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown. Over his eight-year career, Davis, who was picked by the 49ers in the fourth round in the 2015 draft, has 550 carries for 2,034 yards and 14 touchdowns between the Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, and Falcons.

Outlook: Davis is a solid downhill runner that fits into the Ravens' system. If he has a solid training camp, the coaches will have a tough decision to make.          

Tyler Badie

Analysis: Badie, 5-foot-8, 190 pounds, set the Mizzou single-season rushing yards record with 1,604. Badie scored 14 rushing touchdowns on 268 carries. Badie caught a team-high 54 passes for 330 yards and four scores. His 18 total touchdowns were also a team-high. He was a second-team All-American.

Outlook: Badie runs a lot like Ray Rice. He also is adept at catching the ball out of the back and dodging potential tacklers. Badie has a chance to be a viable part of the backfield as a rookie. The Ravens could try to stash him on the practice squad but there is a serious risk another team will pick him up.