Things are going well for the Ravens in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine— a lot of team-building as well as draft-building is getting done. It’s been a week where a solid long-term deal has been offered to offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele to keep him in the fold—and that could solve the question of who plays left tackle for the Ravens for the next three or four years. Then there’s the question of retaining kicker Justin Tucker being answered (for 2016 at least) by placing the franchise tag on the young man. It’s a $4.5 million commitment which gives both sides a chance to work out a long-term deal heading into the spring and summer.
Equally fortuitous is how the draft board is shaping up for the Ravens. It seems the quarterbacks at the top of the 2016 class are showing so well that the chances of the Ravens getting the edge rusher or cornerback they want at pick #6 are getting better every day. That’s because teams ahead of the Ravens in draft order are going to pick a QB—and teams behind the Ravens in draft order may be more willing than ever to trade up with the Ravens in order to get a QB.
As Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com explains it: “Simply put, the more quarterbacks drafted before the Ravens are on the clock at No. 6, the better. That pushes players at other positions down the board for Baltimore, and it could mean a top talent, such as defensive back Jalen Ramsey or pass rusher Joey Bosa, falls to the Ravens.”
Nearly every mock draft has the Cleveland Browns selecting a quarterback at No. 2. The big question is whether Dallas (or some other team trading up) would take a quarterback at No. 4. And there’s even the possibility of San Diego looking at one at No. 3.
“At No. 2, Cleveland needs a quarterback,” NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock said on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast. “At No. 3, you can make an argument that San Diego better get ready for life without Philip Rivers in their future. And at No. 4, you can say the exact same thing about Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys.”
The young QB’s these guys are buzzing about are Cal’s Jared Goff, North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz and Memphis’ Paxton Lynch.
Teams behind the Ravens in draft order (like the Philadelphia Eagles at #13) may be motivated to trade up and offer multiple picks for the chance to draft a guy like Paxton Lynch, who many analysts claim could be “the next Joe Flacco”. “I’m at number six, so they can always call me,” General Manager Ozzie Newsome said Wednesday when asked about the possibility of other teams seeking a trade to move up and get a QB.
Just to review some of the standouts from the quarterback and wide receiver/tight end drills, here are Tony Pauline’s reviews from Saturday:
1. QB Jared Goff, Cal – “Goff made a statement at the Combine today as to why I think he’s the top-rated quarterback in the draft. The junior signal-caller stood out in every way. His timing and anticipation were on the money despite the fact Goff was throwing to receivers he was unfamiliar with. Goff showed great accuracy and pass placement, gently placing throws into receivers’ hands. It was a big-time performance by Goff, who was under a lot of pressure.”
2. QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota State – “Wentz had a stronger arm than Goff though he wasn’t as accurate. Still, he had a very impressive Combine workout. He showed the ability to make all the throws and, like Goff, his timing was incredibly impressive. Receivers were almost never waiting for passes to arrive and Wentz had the ball to them as they exited breaks. He showed great arm strength and the ability to power the ball into targets.”
3. WR Will Fuller, Notre Dame – “Fuller started the day with a 40-yard dash time in the low 4.3’s, the fastest in the receiver group. He then caught the ball very well, making several difficult receptions in contorted positions, which quelled the concerns over the inconsistency of his hands.”
4. WR Josh Doctson, TCU – “Doctson ran 4.5 seconds in the 40 which was expected, then later stood out in position drills. He ran quick, crisp routes, showed great balance as well as consistent hands. His 41-inch vertical jump was the best from the receiver class while his 10-11 broad jump ranked second. Doctson showed the skills required to line up as a No. 2 receiver in the NFL.”
5. WR Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh – “Boyd ran just under 4.6 seconds in the 40, but put on a clinic catching the ball. He was smooth, balanced and played with great efficiency. Boyd easily hauled in several over-the-shoulder receptions down the field and showed soft, supple hands.”
6. WR Ricardo Lewis, Auburn – “Lewis started the day by running the forty in 4.43 seconds, much faster than scouts expected. His other marks including a 38-inch vertical jump, 11-0 broad jump and 18 reps on the bench, all ranked as top five performances at the receiver position. Lewis then looked terrific in position drills. Formerly graded as a last-day pick, Louis could be selected as early as the third round now.”
7. WR Chris Moore, Cincinnati – “Moore was another receiver who tested well then stood out catching the ball. After a 40 time in the low 4.5s, he posted a 37-inch vertical jump, 10-10 broad jump and a swift 3-cone time of 6.7 seconds. Moore improved his draft stock at least a full round.”
8. WR Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia – “Scouts were well aware of Mitchell’s pass-catching skills, but questioned his speed. His 40 time was in the mid 4.4s, almost a full tenth faster than scouts expected. Mitchell’s 10-yard split of 1.55 was also one of the best from the receiver group.”
9. TE Jerell Adams, South Carolina – “Adams was the fastest tight end of the day and his 40 time of 4.64 seconds bettered many of the marks run by receivers. Adams looked good catching the ball and in blocking drills. He was smooth moving around the field and showed a lot of explosion hitting the bag. Adams, graded as a late-round pick entering the season, will not get out of the middle rounds.”
10. WR Johnny Holton, Cincinnati – “Holton put on one of the grittiest performances of the Combine on Saturday. Struggling with a lingering hamstring injury, it was recommended that he not run the 40, but Holton did so anyway and timed in the mid 4.5’s, faster than expected. Holton later looked good in position drills, catching everything thrown in his direction.”
11. WR Devon Cajuste, Stanford – “Cajuste measured 6-4 and 234 pounds, then timed 4.62 in the 40-yard dash. During position drills, he ran solid routes and caught the ball very well. Teams are talking about moving Cajuste to tight end, but at the Combine he looked like a natural wideout.”
12. WR Keyarris Garrett, Tulsa – “Garrett timed the 40 in the low 4.5’s after weighing in at 220 pounds. During position drills, he looked natural, fluid and had no wasted motion. Garrett effortlessly caught the deep pass and was dependable in the short field.”
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