Eric DeCosta’s first solo draft (as Ravens’ general manager) is in the books. Here’s a look at how pundits are grading the Ravens’ haul. The final draft box score for the Ravens was 8 players acquired with a ton of value.
Over the course of three days, the Ravens selected eight new players to come to Baltimore as part of the 2019 NFL Draft. John Harbaugh’s team had a couple of picks that came through trades from the Eagles, a pick that came from the Saints and a pick that came from the Broncos courtesy of the Joe Flacco trade. (The team did not have a second or seventh round pick.)
Below is a complete list of picks in order of selection.
- First round, 25th overall – Marquise Brown – WR – Oklahoma
- Third round, 85th overall – Jaylon Ferguson – OLB – Louisiana Tech
- Third round, 93rd overall – Miles Boykin – WR – Notre Dame
- Fourth round, 113rd overall – Justice Hill – RB – Oklahoma State
- Fourth round, 123rd overall – Ben Powers – G – Oklahoma
- Fourth round, 127th overall – Iman Marshall – CB – USC
- Fifth round, 160th overall – Daylon Mack – DT – UAB
- Sixth round, 197th overall – Trace McSorley – QB – Penn State
The grades are good:
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter, A: “If Brown has that sort of career that’s projected, the Ravens will have done well. Ferguson could have gone much earlier, so I suspect Baltimore fans will come to appreciate his talents. Adding a larger receiver in Boykin made sense with the lack of wideout depth for Ravens. Hill brings speed and underrated toughness to complement Mark Ingram. Powers could take over for Marshal Yanda as a starter eventually. Marshall was a great pick for Baltimore because they will eventually need to replace Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr. Mack is yet another sparkplug in the middle for the Ravens. McSorley would seem to fit the Ravens’ current offense and could contribute at another position, if needed.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper, B-plus: “Wide receiver is the position that could most help [Lamar] Jackson in 2019, and that’s exactly where Baltimore went in Round 1, snagging the best receiver in the class in Marquise Brown (No. 25) after trading down three spots and adding a couple of Day 3 picks. Baltimore also added a really good athlete in wide receiver Miles Boykin (No. 93). He only had one consistent year at Notre Dame, but the skill set (4.42-second 40 at 6-foot-4) jumps out. Jaylon Ferguson (No. 85) might bulk up to play end in the Ravens’ 3-4 … Justice Hill (No. 113) is a good complementary piece to Mark Ingram at running back … Jackson’s development is so crucial to this team. If he’s improved as a passer, it will be partially because Brown and Boykin helped him get there. I like what DeCosta did in trying to upgrade around the quarterback.”
Sports Illustrated’s Andy Benoit, B: “The selection of Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin in Rounds 1 and 3 fill a desperate need at wide receiver for the Ravens. Brown has the type of speed and quickness that makes a defense passive, which will help Baltimore’s new expansive running game. Boykin might be more of a project, but in this lineup, that shouldn’t stop him from getting a first-string role outside. Selecting OLB Jaylon Ferguson between the receivers was prudent … Baltimore’s fourth round focused on buttressing depth at already strong areas: running back Justice Hill puts last year’s surprise late-season starter Gus Edwards on the roster bubble, Ben Powers figures to be a backup utility guard and Iman Marshall is, well, an extra corner for if/when Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr leave in 2020.”
SB Nation’s Dan Kadar, B: “After sliding down to No. 25, they took the first wide receiver off the board in Oklahoma’s Marquise Brown. He can take the top off a defense and give Lamar Jackson a good deep target. The Ravens added more speed in the third round with Notre Dame’ receiver Miles Boykin, and then again with Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill at No. 113. He’s a nice complement for Mark Ingram. Since this is the Ravens, they addressed the front of the defense with end Jaylon Ferguson at No. 85 and nose tackle Daylon Mack at No. 160. In between, they beefed up the offensive line with Oklahoma guard Ben Powers. Finally, Trace McSorley is a solid backup quarterback because he can do some of the same things as Jackson.”
USA Today’s Nate Davis, B: “The combo of Round 1 WR Marquise Brown and Round 3 WR Miles Boykin brings a nice dose of speed and size, respectively, and should dovetail with what Jackson currently provides as a raw passer. The question may be whether DeCosta did enough to reload the gutted front seven of a defense that ranked No. 1 overall in 2018, especially given a fourth-round running back (talented Justice Hill) seems luxurious. Round 6 QB Trace McSorley is a great fit behind Jackson and might also contribute in other areas.”
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
